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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: eric kalabi <erickk_2007@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <erickalabi_2007@yahoo.ca>
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:02:32 +0000
Subject: IT MY UTMOST PLEASURE TO WRITE YOU THIS LETTER TODAY,




DEAR FRIEND, IT MY UTMOST PLEASURE TO WRITE YOU THIS LETTER TODAY,

MY NAME IS ERIC TITU KALABI,I AM FROM THE REPUBLIC OF SEIRRE LEONE,MY LATE FATHER HAPPENS TO BE THE FORMER MINISTER OF FINANCE IN SEIRRE LEONE,BEFORE HIS DEATH IN THE CIVIL WAR,HE MADE A HUGE DEPOSIT IN A SECURITY COMPANY IN GHANA WEST AFRICA,THIS COMPANY IS MADE TO BELIEVE THAT THE CONSIGNMENT BOX WHICH IS CONTAINING THE SUM OF $12.5MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS,CONTAINS SOME FAMILY VALUABLES,SO THIS SECRET IS BETWEEN ME,YOU AND MY MOTHER,MY LATE FATHER WARNED ME NOT TO DISCLOSE THIS TO ANY MEMBER OF MY FAMILY INCLUDING MY UNCLES APART FROM A FOREIGN BENEFICIARY WHO IS READY TO ASSIST ME IN CLAIMING THE BOX FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY. PRESENTLY I AND MY MOTHER WE ARE IN A REFUGEE CAMP CALLED BUJUMBURA REFUGEE CAMP 9 IN ACCRA GHANA,LIFE IN THE REFUGEE CAMP IS VERY HARD,PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERYDAY,DUE TO THE HARDSHIP AND MALARIA PARASITE IN THE REFUGEE CAMP.WE WENT TO THE SECURITY COMPANY FOR THE CLAIM,BUT WE WHERE TOLD THAT,IT IS STATED IN THE AGREEMENT MY LATE FATHER HAD WITH THE COMPANY THAT THE CONSIGNMENT BOX SHOULD ONLY BE RELEASED HIS FOREIGN BENEFICIARY ,ACTUALLY A FRIEND OF MY LATE FATHER WHO WAS SUPPOSE TO STAND AS OUR BENEFICIARY DIED IN CAR ACCIDENT,SO THAT IS WHY WE CHOOSE TO LOOK FOR TRUSTWORTHY AND A GOD FEARING PERSON BY OUR OWN THAT WILL HELP US CLAIM THE FUND AND INVEST THE FUNDS IN A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS OF HIS CHOICE FOR THE BETTER. I AND MY MOTHER HAS AGREED TO GIVE ANYBODY WHO IS READY TO HELP US CLAIM OUR CONSIGNMENT 35% OF THE TOTAL SUM OF $12.5.USD,5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE PERIOD OF THIS TRANSACTION,THEN 60% WILL BE FOR ME AND MY MOTHER,WHICH WE WILL USE FOR INVESTMENT AND TO PURCHASE A LIVING HOME FOR US AT YOUR COUNTRY,SO THAT WE CAN START A NEW LIFE IN YOUR COUNTRY. ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS COVERING THE DEPOSIT ARE ALL WITH US,SO YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM CLAIMING THE CONSIGNMENT,WE CAN EVEN SEND THE DOCUMENTS TO YOU FOR YOUR OWN PERUSAL,ON REQUEST,SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.I WILL WANT YOU TO SEND YOUR CONTACT DETAILS,BELOW. 1.YOUR HOME ADDRESS.2.YOUR DIRECT PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION,AND ANY FORM OF 3.IDENTITY,FOR US TO WHOM WE ARE DEALING WITH.
NOTE: IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE DESIRE OR INTEREST TO ASSIST US,PLEASE DO NOT DISCLOSE THIS SECRET TO ANYBODY FOR SECURITY REASONS. THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION AND GOD BLESS YOU.YOURS SINCERELY,ERIC TITU KALABI.BUJUMBURA REFUGEE CAMP 9.


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