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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: "Steve Andrews" <admin@project-ng.org>
Reply-To: sandrews@nyc.com
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 13:09:33 -0900
Subject: Attn: Please get back to me ASAP.

Dear Partner,

Greetings!

For this letter is strictly personal, intimate and confidential. Forgive
this unusual manner of contacting you, but this particular letter is of
exceptional and very private nature. There is absolutely going to be a great
doubt and distrust in your heart in respect of this email, coupled with the
fact that, so many miscreants have taken possession of the Internet to
facilitate their nefarious deeds, thereby making it extremely difficult for
genuine people to get attention and recognition. There is no way for me to
know whether I will be properly understood, but it is my duty to write and
reach out to you. For I know that you are the only one that can be trusted
to handle this project effectively without making us regret. The
recommendation I got concerning you, is enough to get us started with you!

I head a four-man committee on debt reconciliation at the Works Ministry,
where I am also a Director of Project Implementation. In recent past, we
have carefully arranged a contract with a foreign firm, in which the cost
was over-invoiced deliberately to favour us. Now, we want to get the funds
out of the apex bank into your provided account within one week from now,
and a percentage (20%) will be given to you for your assistance and efforts.
The amount we are about transferring is totalled at US$13,731 million.

Also, there is the need for you to know that, we shall be sending you the
mandatory $6000 that will be requested of you by the apex bank, as handling
charges precedent to releasing the funds into your account, so there are
absolutely no bills to be paid by you in the course of the transfer. All we
need from you now is s concrete mailing address, to enable us send via
courier money orders in the amount of $6000, which you shall use in settling
the bills as they come. We have set aside funds to offset whatever bills
that crop up in the event of transfer. You will certainly ask yourself how
consequential this letter is. Indeed, is it not surprising to receive such a
letter seeking immediate assistance? This is why today I am making you a
non-binding, unrestricted offer, to bring us close into mutual understanding
and cooperation now, and in the near future.

Trust is definitely the most noble trait in the world, and I urge you to
trust my sincerity and the word of a simple and humble person of faith, who
in the name of love for her equals is willing to accomplish the task of
doing business with a trusted and transparent person. It is up to you to
decide whether this letter deserves your trust and confidentiality.

And if indeed it does, send me the following:

1. Your letter of consent.
2. Your mailing and contact address.
3. Your telephone numbers.

Upon receipt of the above, I shall communicate with you, and let you know
the details of the transfer. Whatever your actions and your decision, I
thank you for taking the time to read my email.

Best personal regards.

Steve Andrews
sandrews@nyc.com
Tel: + 234 804 329 0489.


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