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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: "Notification Of Payment" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <th0m.fred@yandex.com>
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2021 03:30:58 +0800
Subject: Reply Urgent

Attn: Dear beneficiary
 
Goodday to you, How are you doing today? Hope fine. First, my name is Mr Fred  Thomas, personal assistant to Boss Gidahyelda Mustapha, secretary to the President Muhammadu Buhari. Well my boss as I mentioned before directed me to burn down all the files in his cupboard and dust the entire office as the new Appoint secretary to the President Muhammadu
 
Buhari, when he resumed office.
 
During this time While I was doing that, it occurred in my mind to go through some files before burning them so while going through it I discovered one file that was related to a certain payment of about $9.7 million dollars that have already been programmed in an automatic teller machine popularly known as ATM card for your UN scam victim compensation from UN, and as I was Planning on how to contact you and send it across to you.
 
Then someone send me a sad news email message about you with your email address, claiming to be your relative and said that you are on sick bed and you ordered him to contact me and he is here to stand as your next of kin and also to justify his statement he send us a new address where I will send him the card with pin to him, and that's why i am contacting you on your email direct to know if,it is truth or lie,so please confirm to me immediately if you are still alive before any further proceedings to him, if in three days from now I didnt hear from you I will proceed with him.
 
 
 
Your urgent reply needed
Thanks and God bless you
Mr Fred Thomas

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