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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Douglas McHenry" <douglas1@douglaszone.net>
Date: Sat, 01 Oct 2005 23:47:30 +0000
Subject: Attention: your urgent response is needed

NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
FROM. The Desk OF: Dr Douglas Mac Henry
DIRECTOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION(NNPC)
JOINT VENTURE

Attention:

Compliments.I strongly apologize for this unsolicited mail, but I am
constrained by circumstances surrounding my profession .I
have the mandate of my colleagues in office to solicite for
your assistance for a deal we want to execute The business
involves the remittance of US$20.5M(twenty million and five
hundred thousand United States Dollars) to your bank account
from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The money accrued through deliberate over-invoicing of old
projects executed for the Government by some foreign firms.
I and few officials here have worked out a scheme to benefit
us along with any foreign partner who obliges us the
materials and channel to push out the fund, our idea being
to come over thereafter to share the fund with whoever
assist us. To make things easy and legal, the fund is
reflecting in our records as payable to a foreigner who did
a consultancy service job for the ministry during the turn
around maintenance of one our petroleum refinery.

All necessary and relevant documents will be procured for
the release and transfer of the fund into your nominated
account Please get in touch with me immediately through my email
and attention the undersigned.For your participation in realizing this
transaction 20%
will be for you,70% for me and other officials and 10% for
any expense we may incur (both parties) during processing
for the transfer to your nominated bank account.

I am awaiting your response most urgently and is rest
assured that this transaction is 100% risk free, as there is
no risk involved on both sides.Thank you and God bless.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Douglas Mac Henry


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