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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: "Mr. Gordon Williams" <mrgordon_williams@excite.it>
Reply-To: mrgordon_williams2003@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2004 11:06:19 -0700
Subject: BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

Hello Friend,

My name is Mr Gordon Williams the auditor and head of computing department
of a bank here in london,UnitedKingdom.There is an account opened in this
bank in 1995 and since my inception into office in 2000, nobody has operated
on this account again, after going through some old files, I discovered
that if I do not remit this money out urgently, it will be forfeited for
nothing.In order to transfer out (fifteen-million pounds sterling) from
our bank here have the courage to look for a reliable and honest person
who will be capable for this important transaction, believing that you will
never let me down either now or in future.

HOW THE MONEY CAME ABOUT

The owner of this account was Mr. John Hughes who was a foreigner and
the manager of Petro chemical service here in London, a chemical
engineer by profession and he died since 1997.And then, since 2001, nobody
knows about this account or anything concerning it, the account has no other
beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that his company does
not know anything about this account and the amount involved is (15,000,000.00)
pounds sterling. I want to transfer this money into a safe foreign account
abroad but I don't know any foreigner, I am only contacting you as a foreigner
because this money can not be approved to any local bank here in london,
but can only be approved to any foreign account because the money is pounds
sterling?s and the former owner of the account is John Hughes and he was
a
foreigner too. I know that this message will come to you as a surprise
as we don't know our selves before neither have we let, but be sure that
it is real and a genuine business.

I believe in God that you will never let me down in this investment. I am
contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with a foreign
account as the real beneficiary. I need your co-operation to make this work
fine, because the management is ready to approve this payment to any foreigner
who has the correct information to this account, which i will Give to you
when sure of your capability to handle such amount in strictconfidence and
trust according to my instructions and my advice for our mutual benefit
because I don't want to make any mistake, I need your strong assurance and
trust.

I shall destroy all documents concerning these transactions immediately

we receive this money leaving no trace at all. I will use my position and
influence on other staffs to effect the legal approvals and onward transfer
of this money to your account with appropriate clearance from foreign payment
department. With assurance that this moneywill be intact pending my physical
arrival in your country for the sharing and possible investments. I will
give you %35 for your help and %65 will be for me. Kindly provide your phone
number for easy communication. Thanks and god bless you

Sincerely,
Mr Gordon Williams.



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