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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Tunde Thomas" <info@tundethomas.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 01:54:34 +0000
Subject: HELLO

FROM THE DESK OF DR.TUNDE ADAMS.
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND
NATURAL RESOURCESNO.15 ODELE ODEKU,29803,
VICTORIA ISLAND.LAGOS-NIGERIA.
PRIVATE EMAIL :tundedams@plasa.com


ATTENTION SIR/MADAM,

I GOT YOUR INFORMATION FROM A SEARCH IN THE INTERNET AND I DECIDED TO
CONTACT YOU BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE AND HONEST TO ASSIST IN
THIS TRANSFER . WE BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD BE IN A GOOD POSITION TO HELP US
IN OUR BID TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF FOURTY FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS (US$45.5M) INTO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT. WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL
COMMITTE FOR BUDGET AND PLANNING OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND
NATURAL RESOURCES,

THIS COMMITTEE IS PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED WITH CONTRACT APPRAISALS AND
APPROVAL IN ORDER OF PRIORITIES AS REGARDS CAPITAL PROJECT OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA. WITH OUR POSITIONS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SECURED FOR
OURSELVES THE SUM OF FOURTY FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLARS (US$45.5). THIS AMOUNT WAS ACCUMULATED THROUGH UNDECLARED
WINDFALL FROM SALES OF CRUDE OILDURING THE GULF WAR. WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE ACCOUNT INTO WHICH THE FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERRED SINCE
OUR LAWS DO NOT ALLOW GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT. IT
HAS BEEN AGREED THATTHE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH 30% OF
THE REMITTED FUNDS, WE SHALL KEEP 60% WHILE 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO OFFSET
ANY EXPENSES INCLUDING TAXES THAT
MAY BE INCURRED BY BOTH PARTIES IN THE COURSE OF THETRANSACTION.

IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT TWO YEARS AGO A SIMILAR TRANSACTION WAS
CARRIED OUT WITH ONE MR.PATRICE MILLER, THE PRESIDENT OF CRAINE
INTERNATIONAL TRADING CORPORATION AT NUMBER 135, EAST 57TH STREET,28TH
FLOOR, NEWYORK. 10022 WITH TELEPHONE (212) 308-7788 AND TELEX NUMBER
6731689, AFTER THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOTH PARTNERS IN WHICH HE WAS TO TAKE
5% THE MONEY WAS DULY TRANSFERRED INTO HIS ACCOUNT ONLY FOR US TO BE
DISAPPOINTED ON OUR ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK AS WE WERE RELIABLY INFORMED THAT
MR. PATRICE MILLER WAS NO
LONGER ON THAT ADDRESS WHILE HIS TELEPHONE AND TELEX NUMBERS HAVE BEEN
REALLOCATED TO SOMEBODY ELSE. THIS WAS HOW WE LOST US$31.5M TO MR. PATRICE
MILLER.

THIS TIME AROUND WE NEED A MORE RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON OR A
REPUTABLE COMPANY TO DO BUSINESS WITH, HENCE THIS LETTER TO YOU. SO IF YOU
CAN PROVE YOURSELF TO BE TRUSTWORTHY AND INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL THEN WE ARE
PREPARED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU. WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU IS THE ASSURANCE
THAT YOU WILL LET US HAVE OUR SHARE WHEN THIS FUND ISTRANSFERRED INTO YOUR
ACCOUNT.

IF THIS PROPOSAL SATISFIES YOU, E-MAIL YOUR RESPONSE SO THAT WE CAN ADVICE
YOU ON THE MODALITIES OF THIS TRANSACTION,ALSO INDICATE YOUR MOBILE
TELEPHONE /FAX NUMBER FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. ALL MODALITIES OFTHE
TRANSFER HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT AND ONCE STARTED WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN 14
WORKING DAYS WITH THE ABSOLUTE COOPERATION OF ALL CONCERNED. THIS
TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE.

PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL. GOD BE WITH YOU AS I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY VIA MY SECURITY MAIL BOX
tundedams@plasa.com

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR.TUNDE ADAMS


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