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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: "PRINCE MENSAH." <princemensahonline@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 03:25:09 -0700
Subject: PLEASE GET BACK TO ME

GOOD DAY
I AM PRINCE MENSAH OF ACCRA KINGDOM GHANA, THE SON OF THE LATE KING OF ACCRA GINGDOM. AS IT IS THE TRADITION OF OUR LAND THAT AS THE FIRST MALE CHILD OF MY FATHER I'M SUPOSED TO BE THE NEXT KING OF ACCRA KINGDOM BUT PRESENTLY THERE ARE CONFLICTS IN THE PALACE SAYING I AM AN ADOPTED CHILD AND THAT A TOTAL STRANGER LIKE ME CAN NOT RULE MEANWHILE BEFORE MY FATHER'S DEATH HE HAD THE SUM OF $14.23 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS AND 86KG OF GOLD DUST IN HIS CUSTODY THIS MONEY WAS SUPOSED TO BE USED TO EXECUTE A PROJECT AND NOW THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE APPOINTED TO TAKE THE SEAT FOR ME UNTIL THE THE CONFLICT IS REOLVED AND DOING THIS I STAND A RISK OF LOOSING ALL THESE VALUABLES, SO PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP, ANY EFFORT OF YOURS WOULD BE REASONABLY REWARDED.
THANKS
PRINCE MENSAH.
file://ACCRA KINGDOM



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