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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: "Mitch Lawrence" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barristerthomas112@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2017 10:47:58 +0200
Subject: United States Investigations Services (USIS) Fund Notice

United States Investigations Services (USIS)
7799 Leesburg Pike
Suite 1100 North
Falls Church, VA 22043
 
Compliment of The Day,
                                
READ CAREFULLY
 
I am Mitch Lawrence the Vice President, Security and Counterintelligence (CI) for United States Investigations Services (USIS) in alliance with Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) with the head Office in Nigeria. We the United States government and the United Nation, we have been working towards the eradication of Internet Scam around the globe, western part of Africa to be precise.
 
However, it has been revealed that there's no fund in your name anywhere in the world, if you have been receiving e-mails from Banks, Compensation Office, Lottery, Inheritance funds e.t.c., you're therefore advise to ignore such e-mails they are impostor/fraudster trying to rip you off your hard earn money and if you're in communication with any person or office claiming that your funds is with them, we also advise you to stop/seize further communication and transaction with such person/office immediately, they are all liars and thieves. Also you're order to forward such emails to this office to help aid the arrest of this fraudsters and impostors.
 
We have been able to track down so many of this scam artist in various part of west Africa countries which includes (NIGERIA, REPUBLIC OF BENIN, TOGO, GHANA CAMERON AND SENEGAL), they are all in the custody of the United States Secret Agent (USSA) Nigeria, also huge amount of money was recovered from the scam artists. In reference to this, several indoor meeting was held between the United Nation, United States government and the African Union in Abuja the federal capital of Nigeria, agreement was reached that scam victims will be compensated with the money recovered from scam artist that are in custody of the Nigeria Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the United States Secret Agent (USSA) in Nigeria.
 
Note this e-mail is been directed to you because during our investigations, your email address was found in one of the scam Artists file and computer hard disk in  our custody. In reference to this regards, you will be compensated with the sum of US$800,000.00 (Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars). Meanwhile, the Africa Union has requested for evidence to prove you are a victim of West Africa scam. In plight to this regards the USIS have appointed a United State base Attorney (Barrister Thomas Green) here in the State to advocate on your behalf and provide the requested evidence to process the payment approval for your fund to be release  to you.
 
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The only fee you're to pay to the Attorney is the processing fee $385 for procurement of legal evidence to prove to the West Africa Union that you are a victim of scam. Also kindly request him to direct you on how to submit the processing fee $385
 
Kindly verify your details to Barrister Thomas Green to enable him process and secure evidence to aid the release of your payment to you, also make sure your details and residential address are provided correctly to avoid any atom of mistake and delay during processing.
 
(1) Your Full Name: ...................
(2) Full Residential Address:.......... (P.O.BOX NOT ALLOWED)
(3) Direct Phone Number: ..............
(4) Valid ID Card: ....................
 
CONTACT PERSON: Barrister Thomas Green
E-MAIL ADDRESS: barristerthomas112@gmail.com
 
As soon as he received your details, the processing to aid the release of your Compensation Refund will be facilitated immediately and your US$800,000.00 (Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars) will be made payable to you in due time within the next 72 hours.
Treat as urgent!
 
Regards.
Mitch Lawrence
Vice President, Security and Counterintelligence
United States Investigations Services (USIS)

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