• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Opinions about the scammers and their victims
  
• Domains registered by 419 scammers
  
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam
  
• Names of people mentioned in 419 spam
  
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Google search: Dead foreigner scam emails
  
• Fake Nigerian bank deposit certificate (JPEG, 200 KB)
  
• The penpal scam
  

Any spam email from a person claiming to be a government official or bank employee in Mauritius who is offering you a part in a million dollar transaction is almost certainly a scam run by a gang in Nigeria. Since Nigeria has develeoped an infamous reputation for scams, scammers have started using names of other countries instead, even though the actual source of the emails tends to be Nigeria.

As in all 419 scams the object of the scam is to get the victim to send money to criminals who promise to send a much larger amount to the victim later, which never happens.

Dont't trust any images of passports, bank documents, government certificates, etc. presented to you by the scammers. These are all fake.

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Example:

From: wigha fretn [mailto:wighafretn@msn.com]
Sent: Wed 26 Oct 2005 9:37
To: wighafretn@msn.com
Subject: REFERENCE

Attn:C.E.O/

I am Benard Smith,a top government officials with the ministry finance
on public accounts of the MAURITIUS GOVERNMENT.

we have discovered a floating deficit in our account with an European
bank and and have directed the funds to a security company in Europe as
payment package for completed contracts.
We appreciate to use your person to claim the funds as our contractor
whom his payment has being over due. You will part with 30% while 70%
will meant for investment .

We are willing to place all the fund;sum of $55.million in your company
as we have stated our mode of sharing.
Please do contact me for more details via e-mail ,for I am still in
Europe now.

benardsmith@inbox.ru your reference as I will submit them for immediate
payment to you as the contractor.

Regards.
Benard Smith.

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