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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: "oc_harry@tatanova.com"<oc_harry@tatanova.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 18:31:39 +0530
Subject: Please Read (URGENT)

I would have discussed the content of this letter
over the telephone but i feel it's more dignifying to write.
I do seriously need your help because I am
disabled from a motor accident and cannot travel
abroad on Doctor&#8217;s orders.
I was an Oil consultant based in the United Kingdom,
and because I helped a lot of foreign Crude Oil
Companies to get Crude Oil Lifting Rights and
lucrative Oil Contracts from Sao Tome and Principe, I
was able to
amass a fortune worth about USD18million.
On 21st December, 2003, I left the UK finally with my
family, and came back to Sao Tome and Principe. But
because of the
unfavourable political and economic climate in
Sao Tome and Principe, and for security reasons, I
left my money
total USD18million in a Security Safe Deposit Vault in
London.

On 22nd December, I and my whole family was involved
in a very bad accident on our way home to our Village,
about 700 km from the City Port Louis, Sao Tome and
Principe;
I lost my entire family in the accident, and I myself
fell into
a coma since then&#8230; I eventually recovered from coma,
and was
discharged from the hospital two weeks ago. I have no
money with
which to sponsor any one in Sao Tome and Principe to
undertake the
trip for me; in any case , my extended family here
abandoned me in hospital when they realized that the
money which I came back with had been spent on
hospital bills; I am currently living on the charity
of the church. And now, I need your help to collect
this money in London and invest it in a profitable
venture abroad; I cannot bring in this money into
Sao Tome and Principe for fear of seizure by the
Government. If the
money is properly and profitably invested abroad , I
intend to leave Sao Tome and Principe permanently.

Can I count on your help? If you agree to help me, I
will send you by Post/courier the ELECTRONIC CARD KEY
of my vault so that you can travel to London and open
the vault; You will then remove the money total USD18
million and transfer it to your Bank Account. For your
help and assistance, you will keep 15% of the money
for your self and keep 85% for me in safe custody
until I travel to meet you and invest my share&#8230;
If you agree to help me, please reply giving me the
following information:

1. Your Complete name and Street (POSTAL) address
2. Your Phone and fax number, including mobile
3. Your confidential email address
TO PREVENT THE KEY AGAINST LOSS IN TRANSIT, PLEASE
KINDLY STATE YOUR CORRECT NAME AND STREET ADDRESS&#8230;
THIS IS NOT A JOKE OR A HOAX! YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
CONFIRM THAT THIS EMAIL IS A GENUINE 100% LEGITIMATE
PROPOSAL, ONCE YOU REPLY AS ABOVE.

Once I receive your reply stating your street postal
address as above, I will send you the Safe Deposit
Vault Key by EXPRESS MAIL, and I will also forward to
you more details of this transaction by email. Details
will include the address, contact details including
the website of the Safe Deposit Company in London
where my money is currently stored&#8230;

Best regards,

Chris Harry

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