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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: "Barrister Thomas Brown" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thomasbrown011@outlook.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2017 15:23:10 -0700
Subject: (ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY,IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT GUARANTEE)

Dear SIR/MADAM,
 
Following all the effort you have made in receipt of your fund,I Barrister Thomas Brown Jr. of the office of the director of legal services Federal ministry of Finance  do solemnly  wish to let you know according to the directive from the presidency that all procedures relating to the release of your approved fund valued at US$5,500,000.00 (FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) have been put in place and  shall be commenced and completed without any more delay.
 
However I am contacting you based on  these directive  for immediate release of  all unpaid fund that is due for release which are  still not release to the beneficiaries as a result of bureaucratic bottled neck from paying banks or representative in a bid  to stall the progress made or  divert already approved fund  for their selfish interest.
 
On my honor I am using the IRREVOCABLE PAYMENT GUARANTEE to re-affirm and unequivocally state that AS LONG AS YOU ADHERE STRICTLY TO MY CANDID ADVISE AND INSTRUCTION,your long over due  fund will be finally transmitted to your nominated destination via telegraphic transfer or via automated teller machine (ATM)  if you so wish without any more hitch or hindrance. We agree that this agreement should be biding and use in any law court in case we fail in our responsibility to achieve this.
 
However, I would not want to dwell much on words any more but  since your name and information appeared conspicuously in or data among beneficiaries to benefit  from this largess,  I would advise you now for the sake of expediency to reconfirm to us your full contact address, telephone number,full banking details , a copy of any of your identification papers.This is very important for re-validation and update to avoid any more delay  or misdirection of your fund to a wrong person.
 
I await your urgent and positive response to enable me furnish on the way forward
 
Reply to this email address: (thomasbrown97@yahoo.com)
 
Respectively,
 
Barrister Thomas Brown Jr (SAN)
For: The office of the director of legal services
Federal ministry of finance

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