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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Prince Yobo" <peterwhite@fsbinternationalbankplc.net>
Reply-To: princeyobo200@yahoo.co.in
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 06:12:06 +0100
Subject: confidential

Dear Sir/madam,

This letter might surprise you because we have met neither in person
nor by
correspondence, but I believe that it takes just one day to meet or
know
someone either physically or through correspondence.

I got your contact through my personal search, you were revealed as
being
quite astute in private Entrepreneurship, one has no doubt in your
ability
to handle a financial business transaction.


However, I am the first son of His Royal Majesty Pepple Y. William,
the
traditional ruler of Bonny province in the Oil rich area of Rivers
state in
Nigeria. I am making this contact to you in respect of USD45,
000,000.00
(Forty Five Million United States Dollars), which I inherited from my
late
father.

As You may be aware that my country is the third largest oil producing
country in the whole world. My father is the ruler of the richest
community
in Nigeria. My community produce 5.8% of the total annual Oil
production in
Nigeria and 0.5% of the Dollar value of each barrel is paid to my
father as
royalty by the Federal Government to our community. In his position as
the
royal head and chairman of the Bonny Oil trust fund.


Foreigners often refer to his kingdom as the Gas/Oil Land. This is
because
the island floats atop one of the largest gas and oil deposits anywhere
in
the world. This explains is why the island is home to several
Multinational
oil companies, such as Shell, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and one of Nigeria's
most
expensive ventures in recent time, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas
Company
(NLNG), these companies also offers my father a lot of gratifications
as the
royal father of the kingdom where they operate.

Some of this money was accumulated from royalties paid to my father as
compensation by the Oil firms located in our area, for hampering
Agriculture
which is our main source of livelihood. Unfortunately my father died
from
protracted diabetes. Before his death secretely he willed the sum of
USD45,
000,000.00 (Forty Five Million United States Dollars) and he safely
deposited this money in cash into a consignment and kept it in the
custody
of a security company without the security company knowing the content.


I have the certificate of Deposit and any information you wish to have
as a
proof to show for it.

My problem actually started when my stepmother said that the next king
must
be her son instead of me as the heir apparent to the throne. I am the
first
son of my father but my stepmother has used her position and influence
to
convince some members of the council of elders that my biological
mother was
not properly married to my father because my mother is not living in
the
palace due to some problems within the family before the death of my
father.
This action by my step mother is just a bid to deny me of my right,
which I
challenged. In the process there was confusion that divided the
community
into two factions. This led to a revolution by the youths and women who
are
solidly behind me. Consequently, my international passport was seized
just
to stop me from traveling outside the country.


Now I need help. I need someone who will claim the fund my father
deposited
with the financial security company and deposit it in his/her personal
account pending when I will be free again. Please, help me to salvage
the
only hope of survival that I now have of which my step mother and the
children do not know about this money.


I am in need of help to safe guide this money so as to settle down and
fight
for my rightful throne. Right now, I am in hiding and I do not want
this
money to stay much more in the security company because I don't want to
incur extra cost on the deposit since I don't know how long my problem
will
last.


If you can help me in this my time of need, I will give you 20% of the
total
sum, while 80% will be kept for me.


I look forward to your helping me.


Yours sincerely,


Prince Yobo William


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