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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: "Bernard G. Fall" <bernardgailu@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: bernard_gailu@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 11:25:01 +0000
Subject: Reminder: collaboration.

Sir,

I am Mr.Bernard Gailu Fall ,a Project director with the Senegal National Petroleum and Gas Corporation (SNPC) and a member of the Contract Tenders Board of the same parastatal. Your contact was reliably introduced to me at the foreign chamber of commerce and industry in my search for a reliable individual/or company who can handle a strictly confidential transaction that involves the transfer of reasonable sum of money to a foreign account.

This money resulted from various contracts awarded by our corporation on behalf of the Federal Government, which was deliberately over invoiced to the tune of $15.500.000.00 (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States dollars). After the completion and commissioning of the contract, the contractual sum was paid to the contractors, leaving the over- invoiced sum in the reserve account with the Pacific Bank Plc. We therefore require the partnership of a foreigner or foreign firm to assist us in form of a trustee and provide an account for this transfer.In my last meeting with my colleagues, it was unanimously agreed that25% of the total sum would be given to you. 70% for me and my colleagues,while 5% will be used to reim burse the expenses that may be incurred during the course of this transaction

I assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free as we have concluded every arrangements to protect the interest of every one involved.Likewise, all modalities for the successful transfer of this money have been worked out with the Finance Ministry to facilitate the remittance of this money to your designated bank account.

However, I will want to believe that you are honest enough and will not raise any mis-giving with respect to this transaction. More importantly,you will keep this transaction very confidential so as not to jeopardize this once in a life time ambition.
Finally, if this business is of interest to you, then kindly contact me via email address herein. Your immediate response will be highly appreciated.

Best regards,
Mr. Bernard Gailu Fall.


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