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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: Daniel Lazio <laziodaniel@netscape.net>
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 19:25:27 +0100
Subject: MERCY

Dear Friend,
As you read this, I don't want you to
feel sorry for me because i believe
everyone will die someday. My name is
Daniel Lazio a merchant residing in
Oman the (U.A.E).I have been diagnosed
with esophageal cancer. It has defiled
all forms of medical treatment, and
right now I have only about a few
months to live, according to medical
experts.

I have not particularly lived my life
so well, as I never really cared for
anyone (not even myself) but my
business. Though I am very rich, I was
never generous, I was always hostile
to people and only focused on my
business as that was the only thing
I cared for.

But now I regret all this as I now
know that there is more to life than
just wanting to have or make all the
money in the world. I believe when
God gives me a second chance to come
to this world I would live my life a
different way from how I have lived
it. Now that God has called me, I
have willed and given most of my
property and assets to my
immediate and extended family members
as well as a few close friends.

I want God to be merciful to me and
accept my soul so, I have decided to
give alms to charity organizations,
as I want this to be one of the last
good deeds I do on earth. So far, I
have distributed money to some charity
organizations in the U.A.E, Algeria
and Malaysia. Now that my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do
this myself anymore. I once asked
members of my family to close one of
my accounts and distribute the money
which I have there to charity
organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan,
they refused and kept the money to
themselves.

Hence I do not trust them anymore, as
they seem not to be contended with
what I have left for them. The last
of my money which no one knows of is
the huge cash deposit of eighteen
million dollars $18,000.000 that I
have with a finance/Security Firm
abroad. I will want you to help me
collect this deposit and dispatch
it to charity organizations.

I have set aside 20% for you for
your time and patience. Please
send a reply through this email
address with your contact
telephone/fax numbers for
confidential verbal details.

God bless with you.

Daniel Lazio.

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