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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: "donald michael" <mcdonald@store-mcdonald.com>
Reply-To: mchldnld@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 13:22:51 +0000
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT

From:Dr. Michael Donald,
DIRECTOROF K.T.T UNIT
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
(CBN) TEL:234-80-30405696
E-Mail: mchldnld01@yahoo.co.uk
ATTN:

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS MESSAGE AND IN ANY ATTACHMENTS, CONTAINS
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND IS INTENDED SOLELY FOR THE ATTENTION AND
USE OF THE NAMED ADDRESSEE (S).IT MUST NOT BE DISCLOSED TO ANY PERSON
(S) WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. IF YOU ARE NOT THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, OR A
PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING IT TO THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, YOU
ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO AND MUST NOT, DISCLOSE, COPY,DISTRIBUTE, OR
RETAIN THIS MESSAGE OR ANY PART OF IT.

RE: UNPAID CONTRACT SUM

After waiting to hear from you or your Nigeria partners for a long
time now, I decided to make this direct approach to you in other not
to let it be as if I have anything in mind against you.

I do not know if you have asked yourself why each time the release of
these fund is approved, all of a sudden, the payment will be stopped
or one problem or the other will come up. If you have not asked this
question or you do not know, this is an opportunity for me to tell
you.

Some time ago, your Nigerian friend I mean the people that introduced
you to the project approached me through my dear Wife who works with
the federal Ministry of Finance and requested me to assist them
conclude a money transfer deal they had with you, they requested me to
assist them by removing the original contractors name, company?s name
and bank particulars from Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) vetting
computer and replacing them with your name and your bank details in
order to make you appear as the rightful beneficiary of this funds.

I agreed on condition that they will pay me $100,000 as soon as your
name appears as the beneficiary. I did as agreed and demanded to be
paid but your friends started telling me stories. They even told me
that you promise to send money to me. Do you know that up till now, I
have not received a single cent from them and have not set my eyes on
any of them. Based on their attitude, I decided to stop the funds
release movement because I cannot be denied of my right in my own
office considering the risk as it might affect my job. Secondly, I
know the source of the funds and you did not execute any contract in
Nigeria, although I am the only person privileged to know this
information and it is a fact.

Why I am making this clear to you is that I can see that you are still
making efforts spending money in order to conclude this project. Now I
am ready to forget the past, I do not need the $100,000 any longer
from you but a share of 25% of the total sum. I need your assurance
that those your colleagues will be totally keep out of this
transaction, I know that none of them is aware of this transaction
after trying their best to conclude it without my consent.

Finally, I need your promise that no official of the Central bank of
Nigeria will be aware of my involvement in this regard. Now re-assure
me that you will be willing to offer me the 25% of the fund, that you
will assist my wife and personal assistant to establish a foreign
account in your country where my share will be lodged.

If you are ready to conclude this business with me,you can contact me
immediately on (EMAIL: mchldnld01@yahoo.co.uk) so that we can
have chat over this issue once and for all so that we can move
forward. But if the reverse is the case, do not bother yourself to
reach me.

Regards,
Dr. Michael Donald.


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