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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: "mssam iraasma" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mssamiraasma@finmail.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2024 13:23:07 -0800
Subject: Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,
 
Having viewed your status on-line which motivated me that you can be a trusted person,i am contacting you in respect to my late husband s fund worth US 25 Million deposited with ATLANTIQUE BANK BENIN REPUBLIC,for safe keeping purposes.But right now my husband is dead and the financial firm has been giving me several notifications to make the claim of the said deposit. I want a situation whereby I will present you as my Executor to the bank so that you assist me to make the claim of this fund from the financial firm so that it will be transferred to your custody pending my arrival with my only daughter to your country so that we can use it judiciously for investment purposes.
 
My only daughter will continue her education in your country upon our arrival once every arrangement as regards this transaction is concluded.I will be offering you 20% of the fund for your foreign assistance as long as you can help me out in carrying out this project effectively without insinuating greed and selfishness. I am contacting you in this respect for the below purposes,
 
1,To avoid awareness of my late husband's relatives because they would like to inherit it alone if I dare disclose it to them because they said that I do not have a male child for my late husband without considering the welfare of me and my only daughter.
 
2,To avoid awareness of the Benin Republic Government about the fund since my husband was a former politician in Benin. Once i receive your positive
response,i will give you more details as to enable us proceed
 
With my best regards,
 
mssam  iraasma

Anti-fraud resources: