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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: "Mr Ethan Madison" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ethanmadison2@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 13:42:10 +0200
Subject: Please Kindly Read this email and get back to me as soon as possible

RESERVE BANK BUILDING,
370 CHURCH STREET,PRETORIA.
0001 PRETORIA
SOUTH AFRICA
 
OUR REF: SARB-UK/SARB/111345/SA
 
FROM ETHAN MADISON
ATTN Sir/Ma I AM MR ETHAN MADISON A SENIOR STAFF WITH THE RESERVE BANK OF SOUTH AFRICA, I AM WRITING YOU THIS LETTER BECAUSE COOL PENNY IS BETTER THAN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
 
IT IS BETTER FOR ONE TO LIVE AND DIE A POOR HONEST MAN THAN A RICH DISHONEST ONE.I AND THE CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER (CSO) OF OUR BANK HAVE ARRANGED WITH AN OFFICER IN THE COMPUTER SECTION OF THIS BANK, ENGINEER CHARLES ODINGA TO BRING OUT PART OF YOUR TOTAL CONTRACT SUM AMOUNTING TO FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS.
 
WHY WE DID THIS, IS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE BANKS COMPUTER, YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME TO RECEIVE YOUR MONEY WITHOUT SUCCESS. AS I FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAVE ALMOST MET ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF THE RESERVE BANK IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT, YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT OF INTEREST GROUPS.
 
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR PAYMENT AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE MERELY DOING PAPER WORK WITH YOU AND THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU RECEIVE FAX AND PHONE MESSAGES FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE EVERYDAY.ALSO WE FOUND OUT THAT SOME OF THE OFFICIALS OF VARIOUS PARASTATALS HAVE BEEN EXTORTING A LOT OF MONEY FROM YOU IN THE PRETEXT OF HELPING YOU RECEIVE YOUR MONEY, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS MAY LAST FOR YEARS YET NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DO NOT DO AWAY WITH THOSE OFFICERS THAT YOU CALL YOUR PARTNERS.
 
I AM WILLING TO HELP YOU GET YOUR MONEY,THE MONEY IS IN TWO SECURITY-PROOF BOXES WEIGHING 10KG EACH, THAT IS 20KG FOR THE TWO BOXES.
 
THERE IS A COURIER SERVICE THAT WORKS WITH OUR BANK CALLED THE MOSILI COURIER SERVICE (MCS), THEY WILL HELP YOU DELIVER YOUR FUNDS WITHOUT STRESS.
 
I WILL MEET WITH THEM AS SOON AS I HAVE YOUR GO AHEAD ORDER.THE COURIER SERVICE WILL HELP ME SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM.WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT YOU MUST COMPENSATE US WITH FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR MONEY. TO THIS EFFECT, YOU WILL SEND US A PROMISSORY NOTE FOR FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ALONG WITH YOUR ADDRESS FOR SENDING THE BOXES BY COURIER.
 
PLEASE MAINTAIN TOPMOST SECRECY AS IT MAY CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS IF FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE USING THIS WAY TO HELP YOU, DO NOT EVER TELL ANYBODY ABOUT THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR MONEY.
 
I WANT TO HELP YOU BECAUSE OF THE PERCENTAGE YOU WILL GIVE ME FOR ASSISTING YOU.WHEN YOU CONCLUDE WITH THIS AND YOU SEND OUR PROMISE; WE WILL HELP TO SHIP PART OF YOUR MONEY TO YOU.
 
 
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO RE-CONFIRM THE UNDERLISTED DETAILS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR ONWARD SHIPPMENT OF YOUR OVER DUE CONTRACT FUND:
 
HERE IS MY PRIVATE CELL PHONE NUMBER WHERE YOU CAN REACH ME. +27847597373
 
YOUR FULL NAME:
PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER:
CHOICE OF ADDRESS {where you wish the consignment delivered}:
PRESENT OCCUPATION:
AGE:
FAX:
 
GOD IS WITH US AS WE WAIT FOR YOUR REPLY.
 
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
 
MR.ETHAN MADISON
 

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