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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: "U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <james.usambassador1@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2014 23:51:48 +0100
Subject: USA AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA

U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
PLOT 1075 DIPLOMATIC DRIVE
u. CENTRAL DISTRICT AREA, ABUJA
EMAIL----{james.usambassador1@gmail.com}
PHONE: +234-81850-97788
 
DEAR: SIR/ MADAM,
 
AFTER AN OFFICIAL MEETING HELD WITH THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA AND MINISTER OF FINANCE CONCERNING UNPAID AND UNCLAIMED FUNDS TO FOREIGN BENEFICIARIES, JUST LIKE YOU.I WAS VERY MUCH ANNOYED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT YOU PAID MUCH MONEY YET YOU NEVER RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS.THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO HELP YOU.
 
 
I SHALL BE COMING TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR AN OFFICIAL MEETING AND I WILL BE BRINGING YOUR ATM CARD WORTH THE $15.8 MILLION ALONG WITH ME THROUGH UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO YOUR COUNTRY.BUT THIS TIME I WILL NOT GO THROUGH CUSTOMS BECAUSE AS AN USA AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, I AM A USA GOVERNMENT AGENT AND I HAVE THE VETO POWER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS.JUST LIKE I HELPED FOUR PERSONS TO RECEIVED THEIR FUNDS LAST YEAR 2013 THROUGH FEDEX COURIER SERVICE AND TNT COURIER SERVICE.TO PROVE YOU THE TRUE,YOU SHOULD TRACK THE BELOW TRACKING
NUMBERS AND SEE IT YOURSELF:
 
1)http://www.fedex.com/us/track/
Tracking number: 520101419460
2)http://www.fedex.com/us/track/
Tracking number 520101419438
3)http://www.fedex.com/us/track/
Tracking Number 520101419427
 
 
 
MAKE SURE YOU TRACK IT FIRST AND SEE IT YOURSELF.AND AS SOON AS I AM THROUGH WITH THE MEETING I SHALL THEN PROCEED TO YOUR HOME..(SEND YOUR INFORMATION:
 
1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. CELL PHONE NUMBER
3. ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BRING THE PACKAGE).
4. COUNTRY
YOU HAVE REALLY PAID SO MUCH IN THIS DELIVERY THAT MAKES ME WONDER. YOU ARE A VERY LUCKY PERSON BECAUSE I SHALL BE BRINGING IT MYSELF AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
 
YOUR ATM VISA CARD WORTH THE SUM OF ($15.8M) MUST BE REGISTERED AS AN AMBASSADORIAL PACKAGE FOR ME TO DEFEAT ALL ODDS AND THE COST OF REGISTERING IS $105.
 
THE FEE MUST BE PAID IN THE NEXT 50 HOURS VIA WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM SO THAT ALL NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE TIME WILL BE AGAINST US.
 
THE $105 REGISTRATION FEE IS NOT FOR ME AND I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR MONEY AM AN AMBASSADOR AND ALSO A MAN OF GOD. IF YOU ARE NOT PAYING THE $100 FEE PLEASE DON'T BOTHER TO SEND ME A MAIL.
 
I AM ONLY TRYING TO HELP YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE REALY LOST SO MUCH TO THOSE CRIMINALS CALLED NIGERIANS AND AS A USA CITIZEN I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR ATM CARD THIS TIME SO YOU DON’T NEED TO WORRY ANYMORE.
 
SEND THE FEE VIA MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER:
 
RECEIVER'S NAME: OKORO CHENEDU
ADDRESS: LAGOS, NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION: IN GOD?
ANSWER: WE TRUST
AMOUNT: $105
MTCN NUMBER:
 
AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE FEE MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE PAYMENT INFORMATION.I SHALL YOU MY FLIGHT SCHEDULE TO YOU.PLEASE GO THROUGH MY WEBSITE AND READ BIOGRAPHY:
 
http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/biography.html
 
MY FLIGHT IS THURSDAY AND I EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY BEFORE THEN SO THAT THE DELIVERY CAN BE COMPLETED. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY, THEN IT WILL NOT BE MY FAULT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE EMAIL ME AT U.S AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
 
AMBASSADOR James F. Entwistle
 
EMAAIL----{james.usambassador1@gmail.com}
 
PHONE: +234-81850-97788
 

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