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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: john kagola <johnkagola136@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 04:31:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT


ATTN,

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION AND I PRAY THAT MY DECISION TO CONTACT YOU WILL BE GIVEN GENUINE APPROVAL CONSIDERING THE FACTS WE HAVE NOT KNOWN EACH OTHER
BEFORE, I WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU.

I AM JOHN KAGOLA. FROM REPUBLIC OF CONGO WEST AFRICA BUT PRESENTLY MY SISTER AND I WE ARE NOW IN GHANA REFUGEE CAMP. WE ARE MAILING TO INFORM YOU OF OUR DESIRE TO INVEST, AND TO BUY A LIVING HOUSE IN YOUR COUNTRY.

I AM THE FIRST SON OF LATE CHIEF MAKO KAGOLA, HE WAS A DIAMOND/GOLD MERCHANT IN OUR COUNTRY.MY FATHER HAD A BULLET SHOT BY THE REBELS ON HIS WAY TRAVELLING OUT OF MY COUNTRY WITH TWO OF MY YOUNGER SISTER'S DUE TO THE PRESENT CRISIS THAT IS OCCURING IN MY COUNTRY (REPUBLIC OF CONGO).

MY SISTER'S DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE U.N.PEACE KEEPING FORCE RESCUED MY FATHER; HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT WHICH HE LATER DIED. BEFORE HE DIED HE REAVEALED TO ME AND MY SISTER ABOUT THE BOX CONTAINING ($30 MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS). WHICH HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA FOR SAFE KEEPING.

MY FATHER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE CONTENT OF THE BOX TO THE SECURITY COMPANY THIS IS TO AVIOD THE OFFICIALS FROM RAISING EYE BROWSE TO THE FUNDS. PRESENTLY MY SISTER AND I ARE HERE IN GHANA TO NOTIFY THE SECURITY COMPANY FOR THE CLAIMS, AND WE ARE STAYING IN THE REFUGEE CAMP.
THEREFORE I WANT YOU TO LECTURE ME ON HOW BEST WE CAN INVEST THIS MONEY, BECAUSE MY FATHER TOLD ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN AFRICA TO AVIOD SUSPICIONS, AND DUE TO MARKET INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY FACING AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WHICH IS WHY WE WANT TO INVEST IN ABROAD. FOR YOUR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MY SISTER AND I HAVE AGREED TO OFFER YOU 15% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE MONEY.
WE HAVE ALL THE VITAL DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT AND WHICH WE CAN SEND TO YOU THROUGH FAX ON REQUEST.

NOTE:WE HAVE NEVER DISCLOSED THIS TO ANY PERSON APART FROM YOU, SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION AS A TOP SECRET TO YOURSELF ALONE.WHICH I WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD ACROSS TO US YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.YOU CAN CONTACT WITH MY PRIVATE EMAIL (johnkagola@aim.com)

BEST REGARDS,
JOHN KAGOLA..


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