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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: "Mr. Williams David" <maxlele475@gmail.com>
Reply-To: williamsdavid_3r@hotmail.co.uk
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2017 14:03:24 +0000
Subject:

Hello dear,

How are you doing today? Hope you are fine and okay, I am Mr. Williams
David, with due respects and regards I’m contacting you from my office
which I believe will be of an immense benefits to us, I will like you
to assist me in repatriating Engr. Ronald's abandoned fund, your late
compatriot who lived and worked in my country for more than 20 years.
I have been in search of his true relatives but all my effort proved
futile meanwhile I need your attention to secure his contract balance
deposited in the bank for our mutual benefits and we shall discuss the
sharing ratio as we progress, kindly get back to me for more
clarification.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. Williams David.

Anti-fraud resources: