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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: "Malheiro Savimbi" <malhsav1@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: malhsav@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 13:45:22 +0200
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP.

Good Day,
I am very pleased to introduce myself to you,as we have no previous correspondence.
I got your contact on internet and I decided to contact you to see if can really confide in you.I am Malheiro Savimbi the son of Dr.Jonas Savimbi.My father is the late former rebel leader of Union for the Total Independence of Angola{UNITA}.Who was killed in an ambush by government troops,before his death,he told me that he deposited the sum of $25,000 000.00 (TWENTY FIVEN MILLION U.S.DOLLARS) in a securitycompany.Because of his political power and influence,however he succeeded and deposited the money in a security company in Senegal.This money in question has being in the security company since the death of my late father.But my main problem now is to help me and move this money out from Senegal,i am confused on how to handle this huge amount of money and also what to do with it as i don't have anyone to confide in here in Dakar-Senegal.
May i therefore use this medium to request from you,if you will be disposed enough to help me and keep this money in your country or any other place of your choice.I intended to invest this money in business.I will need from you a mutual understanding and then we shall make plans on how the funds would be secured into an account in your name.This amount is contained in a sealed box and it is registered and declared as containing family treasures, so even as I am writing you now the security company and it’s Agent is not aware that there is cash money in the box, i will give you a reasonable amount of percentage for your involvement in this and this has to be discussed upon the receipt of your response.
KEEP THIS CONFIDENTIAL:
Thanks and God bless for your understanding,
Best regards.
Mr. Malheiro Savimbi




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