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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: "Jean-Marc Giraud" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <Jean-MarcGiraud@outlook.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 07:47:33 -0800
Subject: Urgent Assistance!!

Hello,
 
I'm Jean-Marc Giraud, with Societe Generale Bank here in Brussels Belgium. I was wondering if you received my last email. I sincerely seek to present you as the Next of Kin to a late client  who left behind $145.5 Million USD in a fixed deposit account in my bank before his demise.
 
The British born client was into Diamond and Gold mining and died without a Next of Kin. I shall obtain the legal documents that will give you legal rights to make this claim legitimately. I am willing to share the funds 60/40 with you and this will be completed within 72 hours. With the legal documents, the bank will approve you as the Next of Kin and pay out this amount to you within three working days. I considered the funds would be of better use to both of us instead of allowing corrupt politicians confiscate the funds.
 
Please reach me as soon as possible with your FULL NAME, ADDRESS, DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER AND OCCUPATION for the processing of the legal documents if you are interested and can be trusted to return my own share when you have received the funds in your bank account. More information shall be given to you once I hear from you. Kindly contact me on this
email address below: Jean-MarcGiraud@outlook.com
 
If however you are not interested in the offer, kindly delete this message from your mailbox and pretend that I never contacted you. I'll continue my search for a liable person that will help me out.
 
Best Wishes,
 
Jean-Marc Giraud
Head of Inspection and Audit*
Societe Generale Bank
Brussels, Belgium.
 

Anti-fraud resources: