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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: "Smith Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <smithwilliamscontact@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2016 13:41:19 -0700
Subject: Dear Beneficiary and legally appointed Next Of Kin

Dear
During our careful verification on some foreign payment files, we have duly confirmed you as legitimate beneficiary and legally appointed Next Of Kin to the  payment valued US$10,985,000. (Ten million Nine Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand USD) being accrued interest on your long overdue /unpaid fund assigned in your name. This has given us a legal mandate to immediately process the release of the fund payment on your name as the legitimate beneficiary and appointed next of kin. We are very much surprise on the sudden change of your bank account info without official notification to us. However your appointed account officer has presented to us your new nominated bank account information where you want to receive the payment as stated below. We shall immediately wire transfer the payment to this your new bank account coordinates in Doha Qatar as stated below without delay:
Account Name: Osman Ibrahim,
Bank Account NO. 4050240538001,
Bank Name: The commercial bank of Doha Qatar.
Bank Address: P.O.BOX 3232 Doha, State of Qatar.
Bank Swift Code: CBQAQAQA,
IBAN CODE: QA74CBQ000000004050240538001
We will immediately forward  your account information to our paying bank, Deutsche Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. to enable them affect the wire transfer of your accrued interest payment valued US$10,985.000 USD without further delay. For further verification, clarification and direct communication with the paying bank in Switzerland, you are directed to urgently contact Deutsche Bank (Switzerland) Ltd.
 
Yours faithfully
Mr. Smith williams
UK Debt Management Office Eastcheap Court,
11 Philpot Lane London, EC3M 8UD United Kingdom
Email: smithwilliamscontact@gmail.com
Telephone: +447042039244

Anti-fraud resources: