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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: Dr Richard Hassan <hassanrichead@gmail.com>
Reply-To: richeadhassan@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2017 09:17:12 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Greetings

Dear Friend, My name is Dr, Manzi Ryan Philip. from London United Kingdom. I got your information through our business directorate in our chamber, I work with government of United Kingdom in the office of the ministry of Finance. I have already sent you this same letter by post one month ago, but I am not sure if it did get to you since I have not heard from you, hence my re-sending it again and I have USD$45m (Forty five million United States Dollars) of Over-invoice payment from my office to transfer out from Brussels, Belgium to you in any account you may give to me, it is a government money and I have every paper work Procedure to cover it up. My purpose of transferring this money is for investment in your country. I need you to stand as the beneficiary of the money were the funds were kept in Bank. As soon as you receive it into your account, I will come over to invest my own share which you will help me to do, and I will give you 30% of the money for helping me. I am expecting your response. Here is my privet Email:- ryanphilip@consultant.com Thanks, Dr, Manzi Ryan Philip.

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