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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: ambassadorpatriciamahoney042@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:14:38 +0100
Subject: SCAM VICTIM COMPENSATION $6.5M USD RELEASE

Attention Dear,


This is from the American Embassy Cotonou, Benin-Republic. We wish to
inform you that we received a compensation fund worth $6.5M USD only
from the Federal Government of Benin-Republic here as compensation to
you for what you went through in the name of their country. Having
being a scam victim here, the Government has mandate us to forward the
compensation fund to you and also apologize to you for everything you
have gone through in the hands of impostors all in the name of Benin.

You are thereby, instructed to e-mail back and state how you wish to
receive your funds immediately.


Kindly re-confirm the following

1. Name:
2. Address:
3. Phone:
4. Occupation:
5. Age:
6. Country:
7: How much you lost to the impostors:


I hope to read from you soon.



Yours in Service

Ambassador Patricia Mahoney.
U.S Ambassador to Benin.
Direct Tel: +2292456782.

Anti-fraud resources: