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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: mark prince <prince30to47@yahoo.ie>
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 11:51:02 +0100 (BST)
Subject: urgent reply


DEAR CEO.SIR/MADAM.
I, MR PRINCE MARK A CHIEF AUDITOR OF BANKS FOR THE
GOVERNMENTOFGHANATHAT CONTACTING YOU,I WISHES TO TRANSFER MONEY INTO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT THAT IS RELIABLE AND CAPABLE TO RECEIVE SEVERAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
IF YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT IS RELIABLE, AND YOU ARE DEPENDABLE, YOU WILL BE PAID 35%, TO BE EXACT, OF THE AMOUNT TRANSFERED.THE COSTS AND EXPENSES INVOLVED IN THE TRANSFER WILL BE BORNE BY BOTH PARTY.
I SIMPLY WISHES TO USE YOUR ACCOUNT AS A CONDUCT. YOU MUST BE ASSURED OF THE CONFIDENTIALLITY OF THE TRANSACTION; LET MEALSO ASSURE YOU IT IS A GUARANTEED RISK-FREE TRANSACTION---NO RISK TO YOU WHATSOEVER,WE ARE ALL ON A SOLID LEGAL GROUNDS BESIDES IF YOU ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL, WE WOULD ENTER INTO A BINDING, ENFORCEABLE
AGREEMENT/MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING(MOU) WITH YOU,
PRIOR(BEFORE) TO EFFECTING THE TRANSFER/TRANSACTION.I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR QUICK RESPONSE, TO ENABLE ME TO KNOW HOW WILLINGLY YOU ARE AND I WILL BE PRIVILEGED TO PROVIDE DETAILS/SPECIFICS TO YOU IN CONFIDENCE.

PLEASE INDICATE TO ME YOUR NUMBER TO CALL YOU,
RESPECTFULLY YOURS
PRINCE MARK
00233277428638





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