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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: "MR MUSTAPHA UDE" <mustaphaude@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: TOP.URGENT.REPLY@vmx40.multikabel.net
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 10:53:57 -0800
Subject: TOP URGENT REPLY



DEAR Friend,
I HAVE THE COURAGE TO ASK YOU IF YOU ARE A RELIABLE AND HONEST PERSON
WHO WILL BE CAPABLE OF EXECUTING THIS IMPORTANT BUSINESS BELIEVING THAT
YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN EITHER NOW OR IN FUTURE.
I AM MR. MUSTAPHA UDE THE EASTERN DISTRICT MANAGER OF A BANK IN GHANA.
THERE IS AN ACCOUNT OPENED IN THIS BANK IN 1999 AND SINCE 1999 NOBODY
HAS OPERATED THIS ACCOUNT AGAIN. AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME OLD FILES IN THE RECORDS I DISCOVERED THAT IF I DO NOT REMITT THIS MONEY OUT URGENTLY
IT WILL BE ASSUMED INTO BANKING OPERATIONS FULLY BY MY BANK AS THE OWNERS NEXT OF KIN HAS NOT COME FORWARD TO LAY CLAIMS AND THE NEXT OF KIN
IS A PERSON HE MENTIONED AS A COUSIN OF HIS IN THE APPLICATION THAT HE
USED TO OPEN THE ACCOUNT WITH US AND I THE COUSIN I DISCOVERED DIED 3 YEARS AGO.
THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT IS James John A FOREIGNER, AND THE MANAGER OF PETRO - TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES, A CHEMICAL ENGINEER BY
PROFESSION AND HE DIED SINCE 2000 IN AN AUTO CRASH WITH THE REST OF HIS FAMILY.
NO OTHER PERSON KNOWS ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT OR ANY THING CONCERNING IT,
THE ACCOUNT HAS NO OTHER BENEFICIARY AND MY INVESTIGATIONS PROVED TO ME AS WELL THAT HIS COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT
AND THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS (USD 13 MILLION DOLLARS) WHICH THE GHANA NATIONAL PETROLUEM CORPORATION PAID HIM FOR SUPPLIES MADE TO THEM.
I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY INTO A SAFE FOREIGNERS ACCOUNT ABROAD BUT I DON'T KNOW ANY FOREIGNER,I AM ONLY CONTACTING YOU AS A FOREIGNER
BECAUSE THIS MONEY CAN NOT BE APPROVED TO A LOCAL BANK HERE, BUT CAN ONLY BE APPROVED TO ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN USA DOLLARS
AND THE FORMER OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT; James John, IS A FOREIGNER TOO.
I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE DON'T KNOW OUR SELVES BEFORE, BUT BE SURE THAT IT IS REAL AND A GENUINE BUSINESS.
I ONLY GOT YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS FROM THE INTERNET ,WITH BELIEVE IN GOD THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN IN THIS BUSINESS YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THAT I HAVE CONTACTED SO PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY SO THAT I WILL
INFORM YOU THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE IF YOU AGREE.
SEND ALSO YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER.I WANT US TO MEET FACE TO FACE OR SIGN A BINDING AGREEMENT TO BIND US TOGETHER SO THAT YOU CAN RECIEVE THIS MONEY INTO A FORIEGN ACCOUNT OR ANY ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOICE WHERE THE FUND WILL BE SAFE.
I WILL FLY TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR WITHDRAWAL AND SHARING AND OTHER INVESTMENTS.
I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO INVOLVE A FOREIGNER WITH FOREIGN ACCOUNT AND A FOREIGN BENEFICIARY.
I NEED YOUR FULL CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS WORK FINE. BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT IS READY TO APPROVE THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO HAS CORRECT INFORMATION OF THIS ACCOUNT, WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU LATER.
IMMEDIATELY, IF YOU ARE ABLE AND WITH CAPABILITY OF HANDLING SUCH AN AMOUNT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND TRUST ACCORDING TO MY INSTRUCTIONS AND ADVICE FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL NEVER COME AGAIN IN MY LIFE.
I NEED TRUTHFUL PERSON IN THIS BUSINESS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY MISTAKE I NEED YOUR STRONG ASSURANCE AND TRUST.
WITH MY POSITION NOW IN THE OFFICE I CAN TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO ANY FOREIGNER'S RELIABLE
ACCOUNT WHICH YOU CAN PROVIDE WITH ASSURANCE THAT THIS MONEY WILL BE INTACT PENDING MY PHYSICAL ARRIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR SHARING.
I WILL DESTROY ALL DOCUMENTS OF TRANSACTION IMMEDIATELY WE RECIEVE THIS MONEY LEAVING NO TRACE TO ANY PLACE.
I WILL APPLY FOR MY RETIREMENT TO GET VISA IMMEDIATELY I HEAR FROM YOU THAT YOU ARE READY TO ACT AND RECEIVE THIS FUNDS IN YOUR ACCOUNT.
I WILL USE MY POSITION AND INFLUENCE TO EFFECT LEGAL APPROVALS AND ONWARD TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH
APPROPRIATE CLEARANCE FORMS OF THE MINISTRIES AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE DEPARTMENTS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS BUSINESS, YOU WILL BE GIVEN 30% OF THE
TOTAL AMOUNT, 65% WILL BE FOR ME, WHILE 5% WILL BE FOR EXPENSES BOTH PARTIES MIGHT HAVE INCURED DURING THE PROCESS OF TRANSFERING.
I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE BECAUSE I WILL HAVE TO INVEST IN REAL ESTATE HEAVILY IN YOUR COUNTRY WHEN WE CONCLUDE THIS DEAL. so contact me with my pravate
email mustaphaude@yahoo.com
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST
REPLY BY E MAIL.
YOURS TRULY.
MR MUSTAPHA UDE
mustaphaude@yahoo.com


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