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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: "ALHAJI BABANBARUWA ." <alhajibarban@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 06 Jul 2005 18:46:58 +0000
Subject: Urgent reply required

Union Bank of Nigeria

Suit 23, Pentagon Plaza

72 Allen Avenue Ikeja

Lagos state-Nigeria.

Dear Friend,


I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge sum of money
from a deceased account.

Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone
apprehensive
and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the
day.
We decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.

PROPOSITION;

We discovered an abandoned sum ofTwenty Million United states Dollars)
in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers (Mr. Jacob Steve)
who died along with his entire family. Since his death, none of his
next-of-kin
or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir.

We cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim
as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.

Upon this discovery, we now seek your permission to have you stand as a
next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked
out by us for the funds (Twenty Million United states Dollars) to be
released
in your favour as the beneficiary's next of kin.

It may interest you to note that we have secured from the probate an
order of madamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries. Please acknowledge
receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour
by furnishing me with the following;

1. Your Full Names and Address.

2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.

These requirements will enable us file a letter of claim to the
appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the
transfer can be made. We shall be compensating you with 3 Million Dollars
on final conclusion of this project, while the rest shall be for us. Your
share
stays with you while the rest shall be for us for investment purposes in
your
country.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of
the trust we have bestowed in you, I await your urgent email.

Best regards,

ALHAJI BARBAN BARUWA.


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