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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: "CHARLES IKEJI" <charlesikeji@charlesikeji.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 14:11:23 +0000
Subject: Lets work together

FROM: BARR.CHARLES IKEJI
GOLDEN CHAMBERS & CO
56, OLD OJO ROAD AMUWO, LAGOS- NIGERIA.
PLEASE REPLY TO: charlesikeji02@yahoo.com

My Dearest Friend,

I am sorry for bothering you and please do not be surprised at this
mail but I crave your indulgence to just give it fair attention to
convince yourself.

I am Barr. Charles Ikeji, a solicitor at law. I am the personal
attorney to Mark, a foreigner who was an oil merchant here and used to work
with Handebull Construction & Oil Services in Nigeria. Hereinafter referred
to as my client.

On the 6th of May, 2002 it was reported to us that my Client and his
wife were involved in a Local Plane Crash at Kano State,which en route
from sokoto to Abuja(the capital city of Nigeria),all occupants in the
Plane lost their lives,unfortunately on this same flight were other
dignitaries like the former Nigeria Sports Minister and a host of others.

Since then I have made several enquiries to the embassies here to
locate any of my client's extended relations, these effort proved
unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last
name over the Internet to locate any member of his family hence I
contacted you and I feel it is by divine providence that I am contacting you
in this matter. I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the fund
valued at US$17 million left behind by my client before it gets confiscated
or declared unserviceable by the bank , where my late client operated his
account. The bank has since issued me a notice, to provide the next of kin
or have the account confiscated by their next board meeting.

For the fact that I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives
during these past period of time, I seek your consent to present you as
the next of kin to the deceased and now that I have finally located
you, I honestly think it does not matter even if you are not related to my
late client or even if you do not bear the same surname with him, the MOST
IMPORTANT thing is that you are INTERESTED to execute the matter with me and
since he did not leave any record behind even at the bank, will have no
problem to convince the bank that you are related to him because it is
better for you and me to claim this money than for the bank to seize it as
unclaimed. I will present you to the bank as a COUSIN to my late client and
I will secure some necessary legal documents to back up this claim so that
the proceeds of this account can be paid to you, instead of the bank
confiscating the money. I feel the money will be more useful to you and me
than the bank.

Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss
the modalities for transfer and I will give you the full details. I
have all necessary information and have arranged to process all the relevant
legal documents needed to back you up for the claim.

All I require from you, is your honest co-operation to enable us see
this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under
a legitimate arrangement, that will protect you from any breach of the
law and as we progress,you will also have the opportunity to confirm
directly from the bank about this deposit.

For more privacy of your reply. PLEASE REPLY TO MY PERSONAL
EMAIL:charlesikeji02@yahoo.com( This email box is strictly confidential) and
I will give you telephone number for more details.

Respectfully,

Barrister Charles ikeji


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