419 scam: "Mr. Frank Williams." <fax@045310.com> Dear Friend.

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "certified bank draft" (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Frank Williams." <fax@045310.com>
Reply-To: rev.fr.yaoh@catholic-parish.org
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2022 13:03:29 +0000
Subject: Dear Friend.

--
Dear Friend,
How are you today? Hope all is well with you and your family? I hope
this mail finds you in excellent health. But if you do not remember me,
you have received an email from me in the past regarding a
multi-million-dollar business proposal which we never concluded. I am
using this opportunity to inform you that this multi-million-dollar
business has been concluded with another Merchant who financed it to a
logical conclusion. I thank you for your great effort towards our
unfinished transaction, due to one reason or the other best known to you
at that time. Due to the effort, sincerity, and trustworthiness you
showed during the course of the transaction, I want to compensate you
and show my gratitude to you with the sum of Seven hundred and fifty
thousand United States dollars. I have left an international certified
bank draft for you, worth USD$750,000.00 cashable anywhere in the world.
My dear friend, please contact Rev. Yao Higginbottom, Of Catholic
Parish, Adidogome,Lome-Togo, so he will release the draft to you. At the
moment, I'm very busy and would like you to accept this token with good
faith as this is from the bottom of my heart. Below is her contact
information.

NAME: Reverend. Yao Higginbottom, Of Catholic Parish,
Adidogome,Lome-Togo.
TEL: +228(98)5283-36.
EMAIL CONTACT: rev.fr.yaoh@catholic-parish.org

Therefore, you should contact her and ask her to release the draft to
you because I have instructed her to do so.
Best Regards,
Mr. Frank Williams.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam