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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: "Afghan Government Official" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rogoni0000@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2022 10:06:17 -0000
Subject: Our Ref:AGO/IRU/SFE/15.5/WD/011

Peace be unto you.
Myself, Kate Asal Cole, from Afghanistan, a politician and government
official working with the ministry of finance before the Talibans took
control of Afghanistan.
I plead for your help to receive and secure my luggage in your country.
I want to send out my digital safe box containing my life savings, Ten
million six hundred thousand dollars and some of my very important
documents through diplomatic delivery from Afghanistan to your country
for security reasons and for investment in your country.
Unfortunately, I cannot send the money through the bank because the
Talibans have taken control of all the institutions in afghanistan. We
are under imminent threat from massacres and targeted executions of
government officials since the Talibans returned to power in our
country and I have been in hiding to avoid the risk of deadly
reprisals by the Talibans as I wait for paperwork to evacuate with my
family.
I hope to hear from you through email [ katecole20020@gmail.com ] for
my safety because the Talibans are tracking calls to find out our
exact location in Kabul. For the delivery to your country, please send
me your full name, address and telephone number.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kate Asal Cole.

Anti-fraud resources: