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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: "ASSIST THE POOR WIDOW" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info_johnpaul00003@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:22:37 -0700
Subject: YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED

Attention:Sir/Madam

We are Diplomatic Corp that holds special and valuable consignments for
reputable clients that are honest and trustworthy. We work in
collaboration with top firms all over the world as we have earned a name
as a service whose hallmarks in reliability and confidentiality are
revered.International missions, Diplomats, Embassies of the world have
used our services to satisfaction.

A benefactor has mandated me to get someone that can assist her and her
family in retrieving her package containing some amount of money from a
Diplomatic Corp in Europe.The benefactor and her children have been
confined only to their country home and all their calls and movements are
monitored, as a result,its absoultely impossible for them to do anything
as regards retrieving the money.

Their only means of communication is via internet and you are being
contacted because your assistance is needed in claiming the funds on their
behalf. The amount was accrued from Diamond sales over a period of six
years and its USD75M (Seventy Five Million U.S.Dollars). These funds are
fully free of any liens, or encumbrances and are clean, clear and has no
criminal origin.

The funds have nothing to do with any form of illegality and all
documentations needed to prove the source of the funds were submitted when
the funds were being deposited and these documents would prove the source
of the funds and authenticate the fact that the funds are clean and has no
links whatsoever with either drugs or terrorism.

For your assistance in this transaction,the benefactor and her Children
have agreed to give you 30% of the total amount of money which is
equivalent to US$22.5 Million (Twenty Two Million,Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) and this role simply entails retrieving the funds
on their behalf from the Diplomats in Europe and all the information
needed to claim the funds would be sent to you as soon as you indicate
your interest in assisting them as well as providing the following
information to facilitate the smooth conclusion of the transaction.

1) Your Full Name: -----------------------------------------------------
2) Your Address:--------------------------------------------------------
3) Your Telephone Number:-------------------------------------------
4) Your Fax Number:---------------------------------------------------
5) Your Mobile Number:-----------------------------------------------
6) The Name of the Closest Airport to your City of
Residence:---------------------------------------------------------------

For further clarification, call me : + 44 70457 34692

I await your response Urgently.

>From Mr.John Paul

****PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL*****
This e-mail and any attached files are confidential and may be legally
privileged.If you are not the addressee, any disclosure,reproduction,
copying,distribution, or other dissemination or use of this communication
is strictly

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