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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: steveraph@terra.com.mx
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 11:23:50 +0100
Subject: URGENT LIFELINE

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE I WRITE TO SEEK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN RECEIVING
THIS HUGE SUM OF MONEY (9 MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THAUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS
ONLY) US$9.5MILLION I KNOW YOU WILL BE SUPRISE TO RECEIVE THIS PROPOSAL
FROM ME DESPITE WE HAVE NOT MET OR SEE EACH OTHER BEFORE.

MY NAME IS STEVE RAPHEAL,THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF NIGERIA DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION(NDIC).I CAME TO KNOW ABOUT YOU AFTER SEVERAL SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE
FOREIGN PARTNER WHO WILL HELP ME IN RECEIVING THIS HUGE SUM OF MONEY FOR
OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT AND INVESTMENT ABROAD.

THIS MONEY WAS DEPOSITED IN OUR FIRM BY OUR LATE HEAD OF STATES (GENERAL
SANNI ABACHA),AFTER HIS DEATH, I QUICKLY HIDE AWAY ALL THE DOCUMENTS AND
EVERY VITAL INFORMATIONS THAT WILL LEAD TO THE TRACE OF THIS FUNDS.DURING
THE TIME THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA IS SEARCHING FOR THE FUNDS ABACHA
DEPOSITED IN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA. I COVERED IT UP WITHOUT ANYBODY KNOWING
OF IT, NOW THAT EVERYTHING IS CALM I WANT YOU TO STAND AS THE BENEFICIARY
OF THIS FUND SO THAT BOTH YOU AND I WILL GO INTO PARTNERSHIP IN YOUR COUNTRY
AS SOON AS YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS FUND ON OUR BEHALF .

I WILL COMPENSATE YOU WITH 25% FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE WHILE YOU WILL BE
MY PARTNER AFTER YOU MIGHT HAVE INVESTED THE REMAINING BALANCE INTO A VERY
GOOD BUSINESS VENTURE IN YOUR COUNTRY.

I WAIT FOR YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
BEST REGARDS.

STEVE RAPHAEL.


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