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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: "joseph joseph" <joseph1@joseph-online.org>
Reply-To: joseph_uzoka@ny.com
Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2005 13:06:39 +0000
Subject: a letter for you

From Mr Joseph Uzoka
Manager Bills&Exchange
Foreign Remittance Department
Zenith Bank of Nigeria

Dear Friend,

I must solicit your confidence in this transaction this is by virtue of its
nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. Though a transaction of
this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring
you that all will be well at the end of the day. We have decided to contact
you due to the urgency of this transaction.But let me first introduce
myself.

I am Mr Joseph Uzoka, Manager of Bills&Exchange at the Foreign Remittance
Department of Zenith Bank of Nigeria,I came to know of you in my search for
a reliable and reputable person to help handle this confidential
transaction, which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign
account.

Detail: The President/Ceo of Mark Kogan Farm and Engineering Drilling
company Nig. Ltd, Mr. Mark Kogan (CANADA) made a fixed deposit of
USD14,000,000.00 (Fourteen Million United States Dollar) deposit with the
Zenith Bank of Nigeria PLC five years ago. This deal was to mature in April
2002. But Mr. Ramirez Sanchez and his only son whom he used as next of kin
died in kenya air crash in the year 2000.Since we got information about his
death,we have been expected his next of kin/relations to come over and claim
his money because our bank cannot release it unless somebody applies for it
as next of kin or relation to Mr Ramirez Sanchez the late depositor as
indicated in our banking guidelines.

Unfortunately none of his relation has come for claim.It is therefore upon
this discovery that i now decided to make business with you and release the
money to you as the next of kin/relation to Mr Ramirez Sanchez for safety
and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for the money and i dont
want this money to go back into Federal Government account as unclaimed
fund.

The banking law and guidelines here stipulates that if such money remains
unclaimed,the money will be transfered into the banking treasury as
unclaimed fund.The request for a foreigner as the next of kin/relation in
this business is occasioned by the fact that Mr Ramirez SANCHEZ was a
foriegner and a Nigeria cannot stand as a next of kin/relation to the late
depositor who is a foreigner.Therefore i request you to provide a reliable
Bank account into which the Zenith Bank of Nigeria Correspondent bank abroad
will pay the funds into.

Documents and proves to back you up in the receipt of the funds into your
account shall be carefully worked out. We have also decided that for your
assistance you will be entitled to 30% of the funds as your commission. 10%
shall be set aside for reimbursement to both parties for any incidental
expenses that may be incurred in the transaction.
If this proposal is acceptable to you, contact me immediately through Email.
Please furnish me with your most confidential telephone and fax
numbers,including your full names and address,complete Bank information so
that they can be used for all your official communications.

Thank you for your anticipated co-operation and God Bless. Please reply to
"uzoka009@yahoo.com.hk"

Mr Joseph Uzoka


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