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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: kings chambers <kings_chambers2005@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 11:55:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CONSIDER THIS AND GET BACK TO ME


DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS MR.DESMOND JOHNSON,I WORK WITH THE INLAND BANK OF NIGERIA
PLC AS A GROUP HEAD TREASURY AND LEGAL DEPARTMENT, IN THE DISCHARGE
OF MY DUTY, I STUMBLED ON THIS DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT THAT HAS
REMAINED DORMANT FOR THREE YEARS NOW WITH EIGHT MILLION, FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($8.5M)IN IT.

ON PERSONAL INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE ACCOUNT HOLDER
DIED IN AIRCRASH ACCIDENT WITH THE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WHO SHOULD
BE THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE AMOUNT.SINCE MONDAY JULY,2000,13:22 GMT
14:22 UK IN PLANE CRASH I AM WRITING YOU SO THAT WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER TO REMIT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE
NEXT OF KIN HENCE THE DEPOSITOR HAPPENED TO BE A FOREIGNER.

IT IS SIMPLE PROCESS WHICH WILL TAKE A SHORT WHILE TO
PROCESS.OUTSIDE THIS,THE BANK MANAGEMENT WILL CONFISCATE THIS
AMOUNT OF MONEY AS UNCLEARED EFFECTS AND SEND BACK TO THE NIGERIAN
DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

ACCOUNT. IF I HEAR FROM YOU, I WILL TELL YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT THE MONEY AND THE OPERATIONAL METHOD WE CAN USE TO EFFECT THE
REMITANCE INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT.

NOTE THAT MY PURPOSE OF CONTACTING YOU IS BECAUSE THE DECEASED HAS
THE SAME NAME WITH YOU.IN REGARDS TO THIS TRANSACTION, IF YOU ARE
WILLING TO ASSIST ME.

BEST REGARDS,

DESMOND JOHNSON





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