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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: "BARR CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON" <barristerchrisanderson@msn.com>
Reply-To: barristerchrisanderson@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 16:21:39 +0000
Subject: A Business Deal For You

My name is Barrister christopher Anderson, the personal attorney to a
multi-investor and former Senior Executive officer of Shell Oil & Gas for 15
years. He has since passed away along with his family On October 31, 1999 in
a plane crash.
For more information about this crash and person's on board you can contact
this website:
http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2002/aab0201.htm
My client had deposited Five Million U.S.Dollars (U.S.$5,000,000) at Trust
Bank plc, with hope to transfer it to his home country for a viable
investment while still working with Shell Oil&Gas in Nigeria.
However, since his demise there has not been a trace of any person to claim
the deposited fund which has remained dormant for years. By law I am obliged
to keep this secret within my jurisdiction but new Government laws have made
it imperative that I take the this line of action. Orders from the
government have it that all dormant accounts should be sealed up and
transfered to the Federation Account.It is my intention to transfer the
investment, before the law is implemented and the $5,000,000 handed over to
some undeserving goverment official.
I am prepared to transfer the said amount into your account if you can stand
in as sole beneficiary to the investment and we can then reach a sharing
pattern befitting of this transaction to the both of us. Atleast I can then
be in a position to do the wish of my deceased client and have it invested.
I bless this day I have contacted you and really look forward to reading
your reply.

Sincerely,

Barrister christopher Anderson.


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