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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: "Harris Wood." <audit_002_za@yahoo.com.br> (may be fake)
Reply-To: harris_005_2001@yahoo.com.br
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 23:09:35 +0100
Subject: From Harris.

Compliments of the day,

My name is Harris Wood, I am a consulting auditor with one of the
prime banks here in South Africa. I am writing in respect of a
foreign customer of my client bank who perished with his whole
families on 25TH JULY,2000 in CONCORDE PLANE CRASH [Flight AF4590]
with the whole passengers on board.

During the course of my auditing work with my client bank, I
discovered an account opened in the bank in 1998 by this great late
INDUSTRIALIST who died without a written or oral 'WILL' attached to
the account. Since his death, I further investigated with keen
interest to see if i can get any relative of the late industrialist
but all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim his funds
and no other person knows about this account or anything concerning
it, the account has no other beneficiary and until his death he was
the CEO of his company.

The total amount involved is $36,000,000.00 USD.[Thirty Six Million
United States Dollar]. We wish to start the first transfer with
$10,000,000.00[Ten million] and upon successful transaction without
any disappointment from your side, we shall re-apply for the
transfer of the remaining balance to your account.I have secretly
discussed this matter with a close confidant attorney whom I must
involve in order to assist us produce legal back-up documents which
would substantiate your claims and also enable us have a smooth and
successful transfer of the fund to any foreign bank account which
you are going to nominate. On this note, I decided to seek for a
reliable foreigner who will act as the foreign beneficiary of the
fund from the deceased by providing his/her bank account where the
fund will be transferred.

The banking ethics here does not allow such money to stay more than
six years without claim hence the money will be recalled to the
government treasury as unclaimed after this long period of dormancy.
In view of this I got your contact through my personal search to see
if you can assist by providing your safe bank account for the
transfer or find a reliable person who will be capable of receiving
such amount in his or her personal account. At the conclusion of the
transfer 65% of the fund will be for me, I will give you 20% of the
total transfer sum, 10% for charity both in Africa and in your
country while the remaining 5% will be set aside to settle expenses
both parties might incure during the transfer process.

Upon the receipt of your reply, I will send to you a detailed
information about the transaction. I will not fail to bring to your
notice that this business is 100% risk and trouble free and that you
should not entertain any fear as all modalities for fund transfer
can be finalized within 7 to 9 banking days, after you apply to the
bank as the beneficiary of the fund from the deceased. When you
receive this letter. I look forward to your earliest reply through
my private email address <harris_005_2001@yahoo.com.br>
and telephone number +874 763 591 435. Fax number +874 763 591
436.Just add your international dial out code number and you will
get through.You should also include your private fax and phone
numbers for easy and safe communication.

Respectfully Yours,

Mr Harris Wood.
Phone: +874 763 591 435
Fax : +874 763 591 436
Email: <harris_005_2001@yahoo.com.br>


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