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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: "Chris Magnus" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cbptm1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2023 20:05:23 -0600
Subject: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NWWashington, DC 20004, USA

Good Day!

This office is writing to you to let you know that we have successfully brought all foreign transactions down here because of the complaints and reports we are receiving that citizens are being intimidating, cheating and depriving their legal right to their inherited, winning and contract funds from foreign countries.

Therefore all matter regarding local and international transactions from African, Europe, Asia etc has been released and a total funds of $8,700,000.00 United States Dollars is in your name according to the gathered files so far and you are to contact us today for the release and the claim of the funds if you are still interested to receive your funds as we have done our best to secure all the funds that was unable to transfer from foreign agents due to one reason or the other.

N:B After this clearing house, all unclaimed funds go to the Federal treasury as unclaimed funds as the beneficiary will be assumed dead or lack the capacity to claim said amount.

Chris Magnus
Commissioner CBP

Anti-fraud resources: