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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: "Stan Ifyob Abonime" <stanifyob34@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: stanlfyob34@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 18:31:59 +0000
Subject: Kindly help me please

Name: Mr. Stan Ifyob Abonime.
Residential Address: 121 balogun road, Akobi Crecent.
Ikeja, Lagos State,
Nigeria.

Hello My Dear,

My name is Mr. Stan Ifyob Abonime, I am the son of HRH King Solomon
Abonime, the king of Ogoni Kingdom. I am 34 years old the only surviving son
of my mother, My father was the king of Ogoni Kingdom the highest oil
producing area in Nigeria. He was in charge of reviving royalties from the
multi-national oil companies and government on behalf of the oil producing
communities in Nigeria. After the killings and burning down of my fathers
houses, properties and hanging of the Ogoni Nine(9) including Ken Saro Wiwa
by the late dictator General Sani Abacha’s government, my father suffered
stroke and died in August27th last year.
Before his death he called me and told me that he deposited the sum of Three
Million United States Dollars with a Security Finance Company for a safe
keeping. He advised me not to tell anybody except my mother who is the last
wife of the (8) eight wives that he married. I am the only son and child of
my Mother. The elder wives have taking possession of the whole wealth of my
late father with their sons and daughters just because of African tradition.
Due to the love that my father had for my mother, he told me to relocate to
a foreign country with the fund and start a new life that in no condition
should I decide to stay in Nigeria because they will kill me and my mother
if they came to find out that we have such money in our possession.
He handed over the document that backs up that fund in the Security Finance
Company, which he made with my name as the beneficiary. Now I am soliciting
for your help in receiving this Box that contain this fund on my behalf. My
mother and I would be coming to you and we will invest with the money in
your country, you will help us in suggesting the kind of business that will
be good. Also you will find a bungalow for us where we will reside. You are
entitled to a reasonable part of this money based on our agreement, and God
will bless you as you help us because we have nothing left with us, the fund
in question is the only hope we have. Please reply with your (1) private
telephone Number (2) your Home address (3) Your nationality. Tell me more
about your self and what you do for a living.

Yours sincerely,

Mr.Stan Ifyob Abonime.


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