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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: "BILL JOHNSON" <billjohnson111@att.net>
Reply-To: <billjohnson001133@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 23:29:08 -0000
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE:


Dear Friend,
My name is Mr Bill Johnson I am the regional manager of Standard chartered bank of Ghana Osu branch in the greater Accra region of Ghana. I got your information when i was searching for an oversea partner among other names. I write you this proposal in good faith; I am 51 years old Divorce lovely and handsome man.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit you and I, as the regional manager of the Standard chartered bank it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of each business year. On the course of the last previous years 2007 business report, I discovered that my branch in which I am the manager made four million two hundred thousand united state dollars (US$4.2m) which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have placed this funds on what we call escrow call account with no beneficiary.

As an officer of this bank I cannot be directly connected to this money, so my aim of contacting you is to assist me receive this money in your bank account or in cash via Couri and get 30% of the total funds as commission.

There are practically no risks involved, it will be a bank-to-bank transfer, and all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of these funds who made the deposit with my branch so that my head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account.

If you accept to work with me I will appreciate it very much. email me with the email address (billjohnson001133@hotmail.com) so that we can go over the details and i will give you my full information. Remember there is no risk involved i promise.

Thank you in advance and May God bless you and your family.

I await your positive response towards my message

Yours Sincerely
Mr.Bill Johnson.

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