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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 BERNARD OKEKE" <bernardokeke_21@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: bernardokeke21@kittymail.com
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 20:36:58 -0800
Subject: BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

I AM MR. BERNARD OKEKE
PROJECT DIRECTOR
DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES (DPR)
IKOYI LAGOS- NIGERIA
E-MAIL:bernardokeke21@kittymail.com

DEAR SIR/MADAM
PROPOSAL FOR TRANSFER OF FORTY FIVE MILLION,US DOLLARS (US$45M) TO
YOUR ACCOUNT.
Your contact address got to me via export promotions council, your
reliability and trustworthiness in business transaction was the main
conviction that compelled me to solicit for your support in this deal.
I am the Project Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources
(DPR) Lagos, Nigeria and secretary to the Contract Award Committee of
my Ministry,In collaboration with my colleagues, we have agreed to
transfer out of the Country through Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) some
amount and we will later reinvest it abroad after the success of
this transaction.
The amount involved is Forty Five Million, USDollar (US$45,000,000.00).
This is as a result of over inflated amount of a contract,The contract
has been already executed and the original contractor had collected his
full and final payment.
Base on our status as senior government officials in top sensitive
position of trust, we cannot stand to claim this money ourselves,hence,
I decided to contact you.
Accordingly, I have consulted and held meetings with some key officials
of the corporation, Federal Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of
Nigeria and we decided to involve a gentle, honest trustworthy and
competent partner overseas who could provide two units of KTT
COMPUTERONIC DISKETTE SMDB 3000 STORAGE FACILITY, CAPACITOR 1190.
This is special in built diskette with its own software for transfering
money worldwide, This is not an ordinary floppy diskette, but made for
automatic machine for money transfer.
All modalities for this transfer have been fully worked out, we have
already secured a preliminary order to effect this payment.

We now require from you your BANKING PARTICULARS where this money will
be lodged into and the Beneficiaries name, It could be personal or
corporate,MOST CONFIDENTIAL FAX AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS,for smooth
transfer of this money into your bank account.
These information will enable us put APPLICATION OF CLAIM for the
release of this money from concerned Government Agencies and it will
last for 14-21 working days.
For your assistance we have agreed to give 20% to you, 70% for us and
10% for any miscellaneous expenses in getting the diskette.
The business is 100% safe on your part, but you have to keep it very
CONFIDENTIAL.
Do not inform your bankers yet unless instructed by us. also,
your area of specialization is not a hindrance to the successful
execution of this transaction. I have reposed my confidence in you and
hope
that you will not dissapoint me. Please send reply to indicate your
willingness in assisting us so that I will direct you on what next to
do.Please do include your direct telephone/Fax numbers upon your
response.

Thanks for your anticipated assistance
Yours Sincerely,

Best regards
Mr. Bernard Okeke
PLEASE FORWARD ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO THIS
E-MAIL;bernardokeke21@kittymail.com


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