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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: "marianabacha family" <marian_abacha20@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 23:30:25 +0000
Subject: HELLO

Dear Friend,

I am Hajia Mariam Abacha, the wife of the late Nigerian Head of State who
died on the 8th of June 1998 while in active services. Following the sudden
death of my husband, General Sani Abacha, the present Civilian Government
has thrown my family and I into a state of utter confusion,frustration, and
hopelessness.

My son have been subjected to inhuman physical and physiological
torture,incarceration by the security agents in my country. He was only
recently released from detention after been arraigned before the Federal
High Court of Nigeria for an offence committed by my late husband. The
incumbent civilian administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has intensified
his probe into my late husband's activities while in the office and he has
frozen all our local and foreign accounts togetherwith other assets of my
family as a retaliation for what my late husband did to him when he was
alive as the Head of the Military regime in Nigeria.
As a matter of fact, we have been declared bankrupt and they are not
relenting to make us poor for life. As a widow that is so traumatized, I
have lost confidence with anybody within my country as all those who
benefited immensely during the regime of my late husband have openly
abandoned all my family.

You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the
recovery of various huge sums of money deposited by my late husband in
different Banks and security firms abroad.

check the following,
http://www.nigeriafirst.org/printer_378.shtml
Some of these banks and security firms willingly gave-up/divulge their
banking secrets and disclosed to the present civilian administration of
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, all my family?s cash lodgement and monetary
transactions with them. Please my dear, I repose great confidence in you and
I hope you will not betray my confidence in you. I have secretly deposited
the sum of $14,500,000.00 with a security firm abroad whose name is withheld
for now until we open communications. The money is contained in consignment
with Security Deposit code. I shall be grateful if you could receive this
fund into your Bank account for safe keeping.

This arrangement is known to you and my attorney only whom you will deal
directly with. I am proposing a 20% share of the fund to you for your kind
assistance.
My attorney shall provide for you the documents of the fund deposit
with the security firm, and raise a power of attorney to enable you claim
and receive this fund into your bank account. Also this transaction demands
absolute confidentiality. On no condition must you disclose it to anybody
irrespective of your relation with the person.

Remember, Loose lips sinks ship I am looking forward to your urgent and
positive response via my confidential email (marianabacha500@yahoo.com).so
that i can forward my attorney details to you for further correspondence.
Best Regards
Hajia Mariam Abacha.

_________________________________________________________________
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