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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: "Chico" <chicochungu@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: chicochungu@hotmail;com
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:15:12 -0700
Subject: Hope to hear from you soonest

Dear Sir,

I wish to ask to your assistance in a financial transaction. I am the son
of late Federick Chungu who must murdered last year presently I am staying
in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire where I am hiding from those that murdered my
father.

In my possesion are the documents covering a deposit made by my father in a bank here and I wishes to invest in the manufacture and the shipping
business in your country. The amount is seventeen million, five hundred and
thousand dollars USD($17.500,000) and I would wish your assistance in the transfer and investment of these funds in your country.

I will give you 15% of all the sum for your assistance. Please it is
important that you contact me on my private phone number 00225-07423406 for
a detailed explanation or my email address I will forward to you the
contact of the bank here because the bank will not cooperate because of my
age hence I will require you to come in as my legal guardian and transfer
the funds.

Thank you for your anticipated assistance.

Sincerely,
Chico Chungu
00225-07-423-406
chicochungu@hotmail.com





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