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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: "SAMUEL SAVIMBI" <samuelsav@k.ro> (may be fake)
Reply-To: sammysav@galmail.co.za
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 14:46:00 +0100
Subject: CAN YOU BE TRUSTED

NAME;;SAMUEL SAVIMBI,
LAUNDA,ANGOLA,
PRIVATE EMAIL;sammysav@galmail.co.za

DEAR SIR
THIS LETTER MAY COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BUT IT IS INTENDED TO BRING GOOD TIDINGS TO YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS.
IT WILL BE PROPER FOR ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF BEFORE STATING MY REASON FOR CONTACTING YOU. I AM ENGINEER SAMUEL SAVIMBI AND HEAD OF THE SAVIMBI DYNASTY I AM 47 YEARS OLD AND MARRIED WITH THREE CHILDREN.
MY MAIN REASON OF CONTACTING YOU IS IN RESPECT OF MY LATE FATHER TWO CONSIGNMENTS IN A DIPLOMATIC SECURITY COMPANY IN AMSTERDAM DEPOSITED FOR SAFE KEEPING BY MY LATE FATHER HOWEVER, MY LATE FATHER HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY BUT THE CONSIGNMENT WAS TAGGED TO CONTAIN PRECIOUS ORNAMENTS.
NOW THE GIST OF THE MATTER IS THAT I CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENT FROM PROBATE, ESTABLISHING YOU AS THE LEGAL PERSON TO REPRESENT MY FAMILY AND THE ALSO MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT FOR A DIPLOMAT THAT WILL GIVE AUTHORITY ALONG WITH THE LETTER OF PROBATE TO COLLECT THE CONSIGNMENT AND DELIVER SAME TO YOU WITH DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY SO THAT THE CONSIGNMENT WILL NOT BE TAMPERED WITH OR OPENED WHILE IN TRANSIT, AND THIS DIPLOMAT WILL ALSO NOT BE IN THE KNOW THAT THESE CONSIGNMENTS CONTAINS MONEY SINCE IT IS TAGGED TO CONTAIN PRECIOUS ORNAMENTS. THIS ARRANGEMENT IS 100% SAFE TODAY, TOMORROW AND IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE IT WILL BE THOROUGH SINCE THEY ARE IN MY CUSTODY FOR RELEASE TO THE DIPLOMAT WITH PROBATE BACKING AND COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT YOU WE BE THE LEGL PERSON TO REPRESENT MY FAMILY BECAUSE I CANNOT TRAVEL OUT OF ANGOLA ,
IF MY PROPOSAL IS ACCEPTED BY YOU, THEN UPON RECEIPT OF THE CONSIGNMENT, 30% WILL ACCRUE TO YOU WHILE 50% WILL ACCRUE TO ME AND THE BALANCE 20% WILL BE USED IN A LATTER DATE TO OPEN AN INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION NAMED AFTER MY LATE FATHER FOR AFRICAN CHILDREN WITH DISABILITY AND HEALTH PROBLEMS.
I WILL ALSO WANT YOU TO ASSIST ME IN INVESTING MY SHARE OF THE MONEY INTO REAL ESTATE FOR MY RETIREMENT PLAN SINCE I AM POORLY PAID IN MY 26 YEARS OF WORKING WITH THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND PROHIBITED FROM HAVING FOREIGN ACCOUNTS OR INVESTMENT SO MY INVESTMENT WILL BE UNDER YOUR CONTROL AND CARE AND WE CAN SHARE THE PROFITS.
I AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE THROUGH MY CONTACT ABOVE AND IF HOWEVER YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED, I PLEAD WITH YOU IN THE NAME OF GOD TO DESTROY THIS MAIL AS THE INFORMATION IS PRIVILEGED.
REMAIN BLESSED,
SAMUEL SAVIMBI



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