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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: "Ferd.-Oska Xtting" <otting3@virtualworldbiz.net>
Reply-To: qwang1@web-mail.com.ar
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 23:32:51 +0000
Subject: Re: Yukos Oil Company, a proposal

Dear Sir,

Greetings to you.

Permit me to intoduce myself,my names are Ferd.-Oskar Ötting and I represent
Mr. Mikhail Khordokovsky the former C.E.O
of Yukos Oil Company in Russia. I have a very sensitive and confidential
brief from this top (oligarch) to ask for your partnership in re-profiling
funds over US$56 million. I will give the details, but in summary, the funds
are coming
via Bank Menatep. This is a legitimate transaction. You will be paid 5% of
the total sum as
"management fees".

If you are interested, please write back by email; qwang1@web-mail.com.ar
and provide me with your confidential telephone number, fax number and email
address and I will provide further details and instructions. Please keep
this confidential; we can’t afford more political problems. Finally, please
note that this must be concluded within two weeks. Please write back
promptly. Write me back. I look forward to it.
Regards

Ferd.-Oskar Ötting


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