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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: "O.B" <info1@skpdomainlivemails.net>
Reply-To: ogabenson@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:29:39 +0000
Subject: FROM:OGA BENSON


FROM:OGA BENSON

RE:INVESTMENT
-------------
DEAR FRIEND,
THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SUPRISE,BUT THIS IS REAL.I GOT YOUR NAME FROM A WEBSITE WHEN I WAS IN SEARCH OF A PERSON OR COMPANY WHO WILL ASSIST ME IN TRANSFERING THIS FUND INTO HIS/HER ACCOUNT.
I AM THE AUDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK(ADB) AND I WOULD WANT TO DO THIS QUICK BUSINESS WITH YOU.
THERE IS THIS DORMANT ACCOUNT IN MY BANK WITH A CREDIT BALANCE OF US$35.8 MILLION, WHICH,IF I MUST REPEAT, HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR SOME YEARS NOW.
ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION,I DISCOVERED THAT THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT, A FOREIGNER, DIED IN AN AIR CRASH THAT INVOLVED KENYA AIRWAYS SOME YEARS AGO AND HE HAD DEPOSITED THIS MONEY PRIVATELY.
SINCE THEN, NO ONE HAS COME OVER TO CLAIM THE MONEY AND WE ON OUR PART HAVE SEARCHED FOR HIS NEXT OF KIN BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY TILL DATE.
NOW I WANT TO USE YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO CLAIM THE FUND SINCE THE BANK IS WILLING, READY TO PAY THE FUND TO THE NEXT OF KIN, WITH A PROPER EVIDENCE.
ON MY OWN PART,I WILL BE A BRIDGE SORT OF, SO THAT THE NECCESSARY DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BACK UP THIS CLAIM WILL BE PROVIDED AND WE WILL SEE THE LIGHT OF THE DAY.
WHAT I NEED FROM YOU IS TO USE YOUR NAME AS THE NEXT OF KIN , GET THE DOCUMENTATION AND TRANSFER THE FUNDS TO YOUR ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.ONCE YOU FALL IN LINE, I WILL SUPPLY THE BANK WITH ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION THAT THE BANK MAY NEED FOR EASY APPROVAL OF THE FUNDS FOR TRANSFER IN YOUR FAVOUR.
AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL REMITTANCE OF THE FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT OVERSEAS, I WILL DESTROY ALL THE DOCUMENTS INVOLVED, INCLUDING THE COMPUTER DISKETTES.
YOU ARE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE 35% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR PROVIDING YOUR ACCOUNT,NAME,ETC.,WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR ME AND 5% WILL BE MAPPED OUT TO
COVER SUNDRY EXPENSES THAT WE MAY INCURE IN THIS TRANSACTION.
I WILL LIKE TO INVEST MY OWN SHARE IN STOCKS,HOTELS,AGRICULTURE,IMPORT/EXPORT,REAL ESTATE,ETC.WHICH I BELEIVE THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME IN THAT.
MY ASSURANCE IS THAT THERE IS NO RISK WHATSOEVER INVOLVED IN THIS TRANSACTION AND THIS TRANSFER WILL NOT IN ANY WAY VIOLATE THE LAWS OF YOUR COUNTRY AS ALL DOCUMENTS WILL BE GOTTEN LEGALLY.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED,KINDLY SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO ENABLE ME SUBMIT SAME TO THE APPORPRIATE QUARTERS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FUND IN YOUR NAME:
1.NAME AND ADDRESS OF YOUR BANK,TEL,FAX
2.YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER
3.YOUR PRIVATE MOBILE TEL.NO/FAX NO.
4.YOUR OCCUPATION
You can also reply me through this private email address only:ogbenson1@live.com
I WAIT FOR YOUR RESPONSE.

YOURS SINCERELY,
MR. OGA BENSON



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