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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. Phopipat Photi (Esq)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <phopipatphotiesq@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2016 15:48:12 +0800
Subject: RE: THIS IS REAL.

>From The Desk of Phopipat Photi.
Address: Bangkok 10110 Thailand.
 
Good Day to You,
 
Firstly, I apologize for sending you this sensitive information via e-mail instead of a Certified Post-mail and I know you will be skeptical to reply my email base on what is happening in the Internet world today, and besides, one have to be very careful as scam has taken over the internet nowadays to defraud innocent citizens, this has made it very difficult for people to believe anything that comes through the Internet.
 
With due respect, l am Barrister Phopipat Photi, and I wish to bring to your kind notice that there's existing estate Funds deposited by late Mr. Blatter A. Thaksin, and as a result things, the financial Custody where the Funds were deposited since last two Years has recently approved the Fund release and issues me noticed to provide the Next of Kin to claim the total sum of $18 Million within the next [21] official working days.
 
As a matter of fact, I have made several inquiries to locate any of my late client relatives and subsequent failed to these several efforts. As it's now, I am now seeking your consent to present you to claim the Fund as the Next of Kin to the deceased, so to enable the depositing Bank process and release the estate Fund to any choice of your Account.
 
Note, that the financial Custody where these Funds were deposited knows me very well, because I do visit their office with Late Mr. Blatter A. Thaksin and some Bank officials know that I am only Attorney to Late Mr. Blatter A. Thaksin and they believes that I should know everything about him.
 
Haven explains some details about these funds, I expect you to confirm your Interest in repatriating the total sum of $18 Million, in order to enable me outline further details on how we could easily make the Claim from the financial Custody.
 
Finally, be informed that the funds are clean and has no links whatsoever with either Drugs or Terrorism, and all I require is your honest / co-operation to enable us complete this hand over, as I guarantee that this will be executed under a justified arrangement that will protect you from any Breach of the Law.
 
I shall wait to hear from you real soon.
 
Thank you, all inconvenience is regretted.
 
With Best Regards,
Mr. Phopipat Photi (Esq).

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