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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: stephen blessing <ssb2ku@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 01:19:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: LETTER OF ASSISANT


ATTN,

THIS MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BUT I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH THE INTERNET.

I HAIL FROM DELTA STATE OF NIGERIA, AN UNDERGRADUATE WHOSE AMBITION WAS TO HAVE A SOUND EDUCATION AND GRADUATE AS AN ACCOUNTANT. I CAME FROM A VERY POOR FAMILY, WHICH MADE IT VERY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GO TO A HIGHER INSTITUTION.

I MANAGED TO LEARN HOW TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE COMPUTER IN A COMPUTER INSTITUTE. FOR 6 YEARS NOW MY PARENTS CANNOT PROVIDE ANYTHING FOR ME TO ESTABLISH MYSELF. INSTEAD I'M TO PROVIDE FOR THEM AND MY JUNIOR ONES BOTH FINANCIALLY, MATERIALLY
AND MEDICALLY SINCE THEY ARE VERY OLD NOW AND SICK. THEY WOULD DIE UNLESS SOMETHING URGENT IS DONE. I DO NOT HAVE A JOB. FOR YEARS NOW I'VE BEEN STARVING TO THE POINT OF DYING. I TOOK A DECISION TO COMMIT MURDER BY HANGING MYSELF.

I PRAYED TO GOD THAT I WOULD DIE IF HE DOES NOT HELP ME. I THOUGHT OF STEALING AS AN ARMED ROBBER. BUT I REMEMBERED THAT THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE IN THIS WORLD THAT MAY BE SO KIND TO SAVE MY SOUL. THIS IS WHY I HAVE CHOSEN TO WRITE THIS MAIL.

I HAVE CHOSEN TO BEG FROM AROUND THE WORLD MAYBE SOMEONE LIKE YOU MAY BE SO WILLING TO SAVE ME AND HELP IN ANYWAY. I COULD DIE OF FRUSTRATION ONE DAY. SO BECAUSE I COULD MAINTAIN AND OPERATE THE COMPUTER, I HAVE DECIDED I COULD MANAGE A COMPUTER INSTITUTION.

I WANT AN ESTABLISHMENT OF MY OWN. I INTEND OPENING A CYBER COMPUTER CENTRE AND
INSTITUTE. IF I COULD DO THIS WITH YOUR HELP AND ADVICE MY LIFE WILL CERTAINLY CHANGE FOR BETTER. IT COST ABOUT N2,000,000:00 (TWO MILLION NAIRA, NIGERIAN MONEY) THAT IS ABOUT $20,000 (TWO THOUSAND U.S. DOLLARS). I WOULD NEED ABOUT 10 COMPUTERS TO START THIS ESTABLISHMENT.

DEAR SIR/MADAM, I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO SEND ME $20,000 BUT WHATEVER YOU CAN
ASSIST ME WITH TO MAKEUP THIS ESTABLISHMENT. SO I CAN FEED WITH MY FAMILY AND EVEN CLOTH MYSELF. ANYTHING YOU COULD SEND TO ME BOTH MATERIALLY AND FINANCIALLY WILL GO A LONG WAY IN SAVING MY FAMILY AND ME AND GOD WILL HELP YOU IN RETURN.

GOD BLESSES YOU AS YOU READ THIS LETTER AND MEDITATE ON IT.
PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE ME. EVEN AN ADVICE TO ME MIGHT GIVE HOPE. I COULD SEND ALL
MY PARTICULARS IF REQUIRED.

I WISH TO GET YOUR REPLY SOON.

PLEASE MY URGENT AND PRIVATE EMAIL ADRESS IS tobi240@myway.com, PLEASE THESE IS THE RESPOND MAIL.
THANKS

SINCERELY,
TOBI ADEFARATI


blessing stephen


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