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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.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "Paul Smith" <mrpaulsmith600@msn.com>
Reply-To: mrpaulsmith_1972@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 15:43:58 +0000
Subject: DEAR FRIEND,

DEAR FRIEND,

REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

FIRST I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION, THIS IS BY
VIRTUE OF IT'S BEING VERY CONFIDENTIAL.

I AM MR PAUL SMITH, A DIRECTOR WITH THE BOND BANK OF NIGERIA (B.B.N)
PLC LAGOS. I CAME TO KNOW OF YOU IN MY PRIVATE SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE AND
REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE THIS CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION WHICH INVOLVES
THE TRANSFER OF A HUGE SUM OF MONEY TO A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT REQUIRING
MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.

THE PROPOSITION

AN AMERICAN, LATE ENGINEER CHARLES FREDRICK, AN OIL MERCHANT/CONTRACTOR
WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, UNTIL HIS DEATH THREE YEARS AGO IN
A
GHASTLY MOTOR ACCIDENT, BANKED WITH US HERE AT BOND BANK OF NIGERIA
PLC, LAGOS, AND HAD A CLOSING BALANCE OF US$15,000,000,000:00 MILLION
(FIRTY
MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WHICH THE BANK NOW QUESTIONABLE EXPECT
TO BE CLAIMED BY CHARLES'S NEXT OF KIN OR ALTERNATIVELY, BE DONATED TO A
DISCREDITED TRUST FUND FOR ARMS AND AMMUNINATIONS AT A MILITARY WAR
COLLEGE HERE IN NIGERIA. FERVENT EFFORTS BEING MADE BY THE BOND BANK OF
NIGERIA
PLC, TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE CHARLES'S FAMILY HAS PROVED ABORTIVE.
THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED POSSIBILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCATE
LATE.
ENGINEER CHARLES'S NEXT OF KIN (HE HAS NO WIFE OR CHILDREN) THAT THE
MANAGEMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF OUR CHAIRMAN AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS, RETIRED MAJOR-GENERAL KALU IKE KALU, THAT AN ARRANGEMENT BE
MADE FOR THE FUNDS TO BE DECLARED UNCLAIMED AND SUBSEQUENTLY, BE DONATED TO
THE TRUST FUND FOR ARMS AND AMMUNATION TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE CAUSE OF WAR
IN AFRICA AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL.

IN OTHER TO AVERT THIS NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT, SOME OF MY TRUST
COLLEAGUES AND I NOW SEEK YOUR PERMISSION TO HAVE YOU STANDING AS NEXT OF
KIN TO LATE.
ENGINEER CHARLES'S, SO THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED AND PAYED TO
YOUR ACCOUNT AS NEXT OF KIN. ALL DOCUMENTS AND PROOFS TO ENABLE YOU GET THE
FUNDS WILL BE CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AND MORESO RE-ASSURING YOU OF A 100%
RISK
FREE INVOLVEMENT. YOU WILL GET A NEGOTIABLE PERCENTAGE OF THIS MONEY FOR
ASSISTING US IN THIS DEAL. WE SHALL ALSO MAP OUT A PERCENTAGE OF THIS MONEY
TO
TAKE CARE OF INCCIDENTAL EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE IN THE COURSE OF THE
TRANSACTION. 30% WILL BE FOR YOU,10 WILL BE FOR ANY EXPENSENCE THAT WHEN
COME ON OUR
WAY, THAN 60 WILL BE FOR ME AND MY COLLUGES

IF THIS PROPOSAL OKAY BY YOU, AND ASSURE US THAT YOU WILL NOT TAKE
UNDUE ADVANTAGE OF THE TRUST WE HOPE TO BESTOWE ON YOU AND YOUR COMPANY,
KINDLY GET TO ME IMMEDIATELY VIA, E-MAIL

FURNISH ME WITH YOUR CONFIDENTIAL PHONE,FAX NUMBERS, EMAIL ADDRESS, AND
EXCLUSIVE BANKING COORDINATES SO THAT I CAN USE THESE INFORMATION TO
APPLY FOR THE RELEASE AND SUBSEQUENT TRANSFER OF THE FUNDS IN YOUR FAVOUR.

IF NOT INTERESTED PLEASE KEEP IT VERY CONFIDENTIAL.

THANK YOU IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR CO-OPERATION.

YOURS SINCERELY,
MR.PAUL SMITH


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