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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <michael.kyzer@yahoo.com.pe>
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 02:59:44 +0000
Subject: CONTRACT PAYMENT VERY URGENT



DEAR, REF: TRANSFER OF US$6.5 MILLION I know this is an unconventional way of introducing a business, but if you can read my letter carefully, you will understand the necessity for my action. I am a Director in Procurement Department with Ministry of Works and Housing here in Ghana .Sometime ago, a contract was awarded to two German (GMBH) Companies by my committee on behalf of Works and Housing; the total contract value was US$20 million but members of my committee deliberately added extra US$6.5 million to enable us benefit from the project. The Initial above companies have been paid fully the total sum of US$20million since they have completed the project, but we still have the over invoiced sum of $6.5 million left in the Government Suspense account.To enable us transfer this money into a foreign account, we were able to convince the office of the Parliament that we left us$6.5 million because the above companies have abandoned the project without finishing the maintenance portion of the contract. On the above reason, the Parliament has approved that we find another company to finish the maintenance portion and pay the balance of us$6.5million to the company. There is no work to be performed by you or your company; rather we shall issue a coverage letter stating that your company has performed all the internal work to the Akosonbo power functions as maintenance only which does not involve any work outside the building structure itself. If you agree to this proposal, we have agreed that the following funds will be shared thus after it has been paid into your account;a) 20% of the money will go to you for acting as the beneficiary of the fund.( b) 5% has been set aside for reimbursement for incidental expenses that you may be incurred in the course of the transaction. c) 75% to us (which we wish to commence an important business in conjunction with you).I shall let you know the next step as soon as i hear from you and again, I must assure you of 100% risk free of this transaction.Yours Faithfully,Michael Kyzer

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