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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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Fraud email example:

From: "LEWIS BENSON" <lewisbenson0022@5fm.za.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: lewis_22benson@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 18:18:13 +0100
Subject: Kindly assist me

From: Lewis Benson
Monrovia, Liberia
Private email: lewis_22benson@yahoo.co.uk

Dear Friend,

This letter might come to you as a surprise since we have not had any previous correspondence nor met. This is as a result of the helpless situation I found myself into. I got your contact during my search for a reliable, capable and trustworthy person that can assist me in this darkest moment of my life.

I am a native of Liberia and I lost my father, mother and two sisters with our family house during this recent war raging in Liberia. I am alive writing you now from Nigeria where I and other lucky victims who escaped alive from the rebel attack are like refugees. No house, no good food, no good job and I just getting assistance from well meaning individuals and a couple of Nigerians who came back from Liberia too.
Before my father's sudden death, he deposited a conssignment labelled as GOLD & DIAMOND but consealed in it is the sum of US$27,000,000.00 (Twenty Seven Million US Dollars) in cash with a Private security vault overseas, which he intended to use for Politics. While my father was alive he explained to me that he had such fund and had to keep it in a security company abroad due to the unstable polity in Liberia and considering that he is a politician, he would not want the Government to seize the money if deposited into the bank in Liberia. Now that he is late and am the only surviving son, I am writing you to assist me receive this money in your country, invest it in a profitable business and help relocate me to join you immediately. As a result of insecurity of life and property here, I do not want to stay in Africa any longer. You have my permission/authority to have/collect 30% of the funds on receiving it, for your timely assistance.

Please indicate your readiness to assist me immediately so that all the information about this fund will be passed to you immediately. Send to me immediately the following information:
1. Your full legal names including contact address
2. Your mobile telephone and fax numbers for easy communication
3. Date of birth, sex and marital status for documentation purposes.

As soon as I receive your call or reply mail I shall give you further details oh how and where to receive the fund on my behalf. The legal documents will also be sent to you immediately and I shall pass instructions to the security company to contact you for the delivery of the funds to you.

With the help of symapatizer I was able to secure a mobile phone which is very important for me at this stage to enable me transact this important business for which I am contacting you. Please reply me immediately you receive this mail via my Private E-mail: lewis_22benson@yahoo.co.uk

Your friend in need,
Lewis Benson.
Private email: lewis_22benson@yahoo.co.uk



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