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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: "David" <davidrunnstrom@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 15:48:40 +0200
Subject: FROM DAVID RUNNSTROM

Attention:


It is my desire to communicate you through this media, which I find most confidential. I happen to come across your contact in the course of my overseas training from the chamber of commerce and trade centre of your country.I am an auditor with the Liberian ministry of mines and industry liaison office in South Africa, I happen to be very lucky to be out of Liberia before the out break of this war in my country home.

Prior, before the war, I was heading a team of auditors appointed to audit the ministry's account, while in the course of my auditing job, I discovered that one Mr. Pieters Robertson, an expatriate miner, who mined on diamonds and gold died in one mining site blast. I discovered that the deceased Mr Pieters Robertson had to the tune of $15,000,000.00, which the ruling government of Mr. Charles Taylor had approved the payment being that the deceased was a front businessman for the current exiled President Charles Taylor.

On my discovering this, I was able to work over the documents regarding this mining payment, when I was not questioned by the Presidency about the payments because of the then looming troubles of the rebels, which was to be made to the deceased Mr. Pieters Robertson through one of our prime offshore payment centres. I immediately arranged through our offshore paying bank in Europe to transfer the payment in anonymous waiting to get the right business minded person that will assist and be my life long partner to take claims as the beneficiary to the deceased, Mr Pieters Robertson since I was able to use my position to manipulate the documents regarding this payment.

All I would need from you is to be able to front as the beneficiary to the late Mr. Pieters Robertson so that upon this you will be made to sign all the necessary fund transfer documents through my internal contact at one of the payment centre who will be assisting to see the success of this transfer into your account. The modulus operandi will from the $15,000,000.00, I am ready to offer you 35% to you for your role, 10% for miscellaneous expenses, 5% for the internal contact person at the payment centre that will help oversee the transfer into your account and 50% will be for me, to be invested in a viable investment in your country while, I drop my appointment especially with this war crisis in my country. If this is acceptable to you please reply as soon as possible so that I will give you more details to this transaction, so that we can conclude this as soon as possible.

This is my lifetime opportunity, which I cannot afford to loose. Do not be afraid, as this is a very carefully secured business considering my position, which I cannot jeopardize. You can call me on my security line on +874 762921720 for discussion or reply through email.
Do not wonder why you, my being, spirit and conscience accept sharing this with you.


David Runnstrom.


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