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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: "razim haruna" <mrh_azeez@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 19 May 2005 00:57:10 +0000
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE!!

DEAR SIR,MADAM

MY NAME IS AZEEZ HARUNA.I AM 65 YEARS OLD MAN.I AM FROM DUBAI{UNITED
ARAB EMIRATE}.I OWNED TWO BUSINESSES IN DUBAI.I WAS MARRIED WITH TWO
CHILDREN.MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT SIX YEARS AGO.

EVER SINCE, I HAVE BEEN HELPING THE ORPHANS IN THE ORPHANAGE/MOTHERLESS
HOME.
I HAVE DONATED SOME MONEY TO THE ORPHANS IN SIERRA-LEONE,SUDAN,SOUTHAFRICA,
CAMEROON, BRAZIL,SPAIN, AUSTRIA AND GERMANY.BEFORE I BECAME ILL,I SENT SOME
MONEY, TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A BOX THROUGH ONE
SECURITY COMPANY.THE MONEY IS PRESENTLY WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY IN EUROPE.

PRESENTLY, I AM IN A HOSPITAL. MY DOCTORS TOLD ME THAT I HAVE CANCER OF
THE LUNGS THAT I HAVE FEW MONTHS TO LIVE.
PLEASE,I BEG YOU IN THE NAME OF ALLAH TO HELP ME COLLECT{BOX} FROM THE
SECURITY COMPANY IN EUROPE. AFTER COLLECTING THE MONEY{BOX} FROM THE
SECURITY COMPANY IN EUROPE, YOU WILL NOW HELP ME TO TAKE THE MONEY
(TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) BOX TO ANY ORPHANANAGE HOME
CLOSE TO YOU.

I AM OFFERING YOU 15%OF THE TOTAL SUM OF TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS 5% IS FOR ANY EXPENSES INCURED BY YOU.
MAY THE GOOD ALLAH BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.

REGARDS
AZEEZ HARUNA

N:B IF YOU CAN HELP ME,MAIL ME THROUGH THIS MAIL BOX
mr_hazeez65@yahoo.com SO THAT I WILL GIVE YOU THE SECURITY COMPANY
TELEPHONE NUMBER IN EUROPE. AND THE CODE TO OPEN THE BOX. PLEASE I
WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE


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