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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 Hunther" <markhunther@estaterealisation01.net>
Reply-To: markhunther1000@uk2.net
Date: Tue, 06 Sep 2005 11:14:43 +0000
Subject: DESIRE TO ACQUIRE ESTATE

Dear Sir/Madam,
I write to inform you of my desire to acquire estates
or landed properties in your country on behalf of the
Director of Contracts and Finance Allocation of the
Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Nigeria.
Considering his very strategic and influential
position, he would want the transaction to be strictly
as confidential as possible. He further
wants his identity to remain undisclosed at least for
now, until the completion of the transaction. Hence
our desire to have an oversea agent.
I have therefore been directed to inquire if you would
agree to act as our overseas agent in order to
actualise this transaction.
The deal in brief, is that the funds with which to
carry out our proposed investments in your country is
presently in a coded account in the Nigerian apex bank
and we need your assistance to transfer the funds to
your country or any safe account outside your country
in a convenient bank account that will be provided by
you before we can put the funds into use.
For this you shall be considered to have executed a
contract for the ministry. The contract sum of which
shall run into US$15.5Million of which your share
shall be 30% if you agree to be our overseas agent.
Your area of specialisation does not matter in this
transaction,all that is required of you is a safe
account and your willingness to assist us acquire
estates in your country.
As soon as payment is effected and the amount
mentioned above is successfully transferred into
your account, we intend to use our own share
in acquiring some estates abroad. For this too, you
shall serve as our agent . I will be with you before
the remmittance is made into your provided account to
allow trust to play a very minimal role until
performance is seen.
You are requested to communicate your acceptance or
otherwise of this proposal to me,After which we shall
discuss in details the modalities for seeing this
transaction through.If however, you are not disposed
to assist, kindly delete/detroy this letter in view of
the confidentiality of the proposed transaction and
interest of personalities involved.
Thank you in anticipation of your co-operation.
Yours sincerely,
Mark hunther.


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