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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: <info2@weboffice963.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <gomez_john21@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 22:43:35 +0530
Subject: Attention: ATM Card Beneficiary,


Attention: ATM Card Beneficiary, I wish to use this medium to inform you th=
at your CONTRACT/INHERITANCE Payment of US$10.5Million dollars from AFRICA =
have been RELEASED and APPROVED for onward Transfer to you through an ATM C=
ARD after our meeting with United Nations and International monetary fund (=
IMF)which you will use to withdraw all the US$10.5Million United States Dol=
lars in any ATM SERVICE MACHINE in any part of the world,But the maximum am=
ount you can withdraw daily is the sum of USD$4,000.00 only. We the board o=
f trustees of United Nations/IMF have also mandated the Federal Government =
of India designated bank to send your ATM CARD and PIN NUMBER to you which =
you will use to withdraw all your USD$10.5Million in any ATM SERVICE MACHIN=
E in any part of the world. You are therefore advised to contact the DIRECT=
OR OF ATM CARD OPERATIONS in India with the information stated below: CONTA=
CT PERSON: Mr John Gomez, THE DIRECTOR OF ATM CARD OPERATIONS, EMAIL addres=
s : gomez_john21@yahoo.com Inform Mr. John Gomez, THE DIRECTOR OF ATM CARD =
OPERATIONS that you received a message from United Nation by Mrs Janet Cory=
in London. We wish to use this opportunity to express our sincere apology =
over your plight in the past Years and we wish to assure you of prompt rece=
ipt of your fund through ATM Card. Thanking you in advance for your anticip=
ated cooperation. BEST REGARDS Mr. Janet Cory, On behalf of IMF/UN.

Anti-fraud resources: