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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Abu Bakr <ab_bakr26@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: bbubakb@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 18:12:08 +0200
Subject: FROM SYRIA!!



Good day,
Looking for kind assistance!!
I am Abu Bakr, a rebel leader here in Aleppo Syria, I and my second
in command came across some money that was parked in a trunk box and
the money is worth over $ 13 million, in one of President Bashar
al-Assad?s allies house and we have moved the money out of the war
zone to a security office as a medical equipment, but we are looking
for a trust worthy person that we can keep the above said money with
him or her for safe keeping pending when we are going to finish the
fight here in my country Syria.

If you can be of a help kindly get back to us through this Email, and
if you are not ready for the assistance please and please do not let
this be known to the world as this may bring division among us the
rebels. If my English is not too good please try to understand me and
be of kind assistance to us.

Yours sincerely Abu Bakr

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