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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: "harison bello" <harison_bello2@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 15:31:48 -0800
Subject: COMPLIMENTS

MR HARISON BELLO
ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC.
LAGOS-NIGERIA

Dear Friend,

I am MR HARISON BELLO, Regional Manager of Zenith International Bank PLC
Lagos-Nigeria. I have urgent and very confidential business proposal, which
I know, might interest you.

On June 6, 2002, Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Clark Smith made a fixed deposit of his
money with my bank, valued at US$17,500,000.00 (Seventeen Million Five
hundred Thousand Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine
notification to his home address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a
reminder letter upon which we finally discovered from his contract
employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Clark Smith
died in car accident on the highway.

On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL,
and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made
further investigation and discovered that Mr. Clark Smith did not declare
any next of kin or relations in his deposit mandate with my bank. This sum
of US$17,500,000.00 has carefully been moved out of my bank to a security
company for safekeeping. The arrangement was perfected in such a way that
there will be no trace of the funds from any quarter, since no one will come
for claim. According to the Law of my country, at the expiration of 5 (five)
years, the money will diverted to the ownership of our Federal Government if
nobody applies to claim the fund. Now my proposal is that as a Foreigner, I
will present you as the next of kin and partner to the depositor, for the
funds to be approved and paid to you. Note that the funds are contained in a
sealed trunk box deposited with the security company as photographic
materials and family items for export.

I am writing you because myself as a public servant cannot operate a foreign
account or have an account that is more than $1m.I have worked out necessary
arrangement for this transaction and you can be assured that there is no
risk involved.

I would not want this mail to get to you as surprised or embarrassment, my
intention is to move the funds into your country and invest it in a good
business venture, for this reason I want to work with you as Partner. Should
this proposal interest you, kindly send me an email, to enable me give you
more details about this. I have resolved in my mind to give you 15% of the
total amount for your assistance, including 15% from every proceed or
turn-over which the funds will generate from investment in the future. The
procedures for handling this transaction is simple, all the documents
relating to the deposit of the funds including death certificate and an
affidavit of claims will be processed and send to you.

I want you to treat this matter with utmost confidentiality, and be rest
assured that this transaction would be of mutual benefits for both of us,
because my intention is to move my family to your country where I want them
to reside for safety. I will require your assistance to make residence
arrangement for them and to invest my share in your country.

Thanks for your understanding.

MR HARISON BELLO



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