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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: "Mrs Annable George" <ma_1901@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrs_annabelgeorge@yahoo.de
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 14:56:01 +0000
Subject: HAPPY NEW-YEAR!!! FROM MRS ANNABEL GEORGE.

My Dear Friend,

This communication to you is strictly confidential, with due respect.
Sorry at this perceived confusion or stress you may have receiving this
letter from me, since we have not known ourselves or met previously. Despite
that, I am constrained to write you this letter because of the urgency of
it.
By way of self introduction

I am Mrs. Annabel George, wife to the late Nigerian former Minister of
Agriculture, Dr. Felix George who was killed during the Ogoni Crisis
some years back. I am contacting you with the hope that you will be of
great assistance to me, I currently have within my reach the sum of $11.5
million U.S dollars cash which I intend to use for investment purposes
outside
Nigeria.

This money came as a result of a payback contract deal between my
husband and a Russian firm in our country's multi-billion dollar Ajaokuta
steel
plant. The Russian partners returned my husbands share being the above
sum after his death. Presently, the new civilian Government has intensified
their probe into my husband’s financial resources which has led to the
freezing of all our accounts, local and foreign, the revoking of all
our business licences. In view of this I acted very fast to withdraw this
money from one of our finance houses before it was closed down. I have
deposited the money in a security company with the help of very loyal
officials
of my late husband. No record is known about this fund by the government
because there is no documentation showing that we received such funds. The
consignment containing this fund was kept on an "OPEN BENEFICIARY
MANDATE" with the Security Company to avoid detection, seizure or diversion.

Due to the current situation in the country and government attitude to
my family, I cannot make use of this money within, thus I seek your help
in transferring this funds out of the sub-African region. Bearing in mind
that you may assist me, l have decided to part with 20% of the total sum.

Please kindly reply through this email address with your letter of
acceptance and your willingness in assisting me to receive the fund,
also include your Physical Address, personal telephone and fax numbers.

Your URGENT response is needed.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Annabel George.


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