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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Fadi Ahmad" <fadiahmad01@mail.az> (may be fake)
Reply-To: fadiahmad@uymail.com
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 21:06:03 +0000
Subject: FROM MR. AHMAD

Greetings to your family,

This letter must come to you as a big surprise, but I believe it is only a day that people meet and become great friends/ business partners. I am Fadi Ahmad currently Head of Investment Management Services with
a reputable bank here in U. A. E. I write you this proposal in good faith, believing that I can trust you with the information I am about to reveal to you.

I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 5th, 2000, a German business tycoon Late Mr. Andreas Schranner made a (Fixed deposit) for 60 calendar months, valued at
US$17,500,000.00 (Seventeen Million Five hundred Thousand Dollars only) in my bank and I happen to be his account officer before I was moved to my present
position recently. The maturity date for this deposit contract was last 3rd of April 2005. Before this date, I have tried my possible best to locate a Next of Kin to late Mr. Schranner, but all efforts prooved
abortive, because all his family, including his Son In-Law and children died in the plane crash of Concorde Air France Flight AF4590 which took place on 25th July 2000, some months after he did the deposit
in my bank. You can read more story about the planecrash by visiting this website, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

With the recent change of government in my country andwith their efforts to support the United Nations incheckmating terrorism aid in the U. A. E. By end of October this year, the Government will pass a new
Financial Control Law which will give the Government authority to interrogate account owners of above $5 million Dollars to explain the source of the funds, making sure it is not for terrorism support. If I do
not move this money out of the country immediately, by October the Government will definitely confiscate the money, because my bank cannot provide the account
owner to explain the source of the money since he is late.

I decided to utilise this lifet time opportunity, instead of Government confiscating the, but I cannot directly claim the money without the help of a foreigner and that is why I am contacting you for an
assistance. As the Account Officer to late Mr. Schranner, coupled with my present position and status in the bank, I have the power to influence the release of the funds to any foreigner that comes up as the
Next of Kin to the account, with the correct information concerning the account, which I shall give you. I am having the secret Code for the account, which only the account owner of his Next of Kin can
know. I shall supply all necessary information we need for the claim and there is practically no risk involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any
breach of law, beside U. A. E is porous and anything goes.

If you accept to work with me, I want you to state how you wish us to share the funds in percentage, so that both parties will be satisfied. I shall explain to you in details how we shall handle the transaction
once I receive your response. Thanking you in advance and may God bless you. Please, treat with utmost confidentiality. I shall send you copy of the deposit certificate issued to Mr. Schranner when the deposit
was made for your perusal. I wait your urgent response.

Regards,

Fadi Ahmad.




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