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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: Lawyer Sylvester Thompson <d48@SSH1.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <sylvesterthompson203@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 07:28:51 -0700
Subject: Hello


Hello,


I urgently need your attention ,i sent you an earlier email but no response from you,I am contacting based on my late client ,who share the same surname with you,he died leaving the sum of $US10.5MIllion with a bank here,the said bank has issue me the final warning to present his next of kin or they confiscate the fund,since i could not find any of his relative,i wish to present you as the next of kin since you have the same last name with him.

After your reply I shall give you the details and procedures of the transaction, waiting for your reply. Please reply to my private email address: (sylvesterthompson203@gmail.com)

Lawyer Sylvester Thompson (Esq)

Anti-fraud resources: