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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: "MR.JAMES MARK" <usermark1111@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: usermarkjames@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 18:31:56 +0100
Subject: Hello

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. I AM A HIGH
PLACED OFFICIAL WORKING WITH THE MINISTRY, HERE IN BANJUL,GAMBIA, WEST
AFRICA.MY DEPARTMENT (THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT) RUNS INTO SEVERAL
THOUSAND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MONTHLY.

MYSELF AND THREE OTHER COLLEAGUES IN THIS DEPARTMENT ARE CURRENTLY IN
NEEED OF A SILENT FOREIGN PARTNER WHOSE BANK ACCOUNT WE CAN USE TO
TRANSFER THE SUM OF EIGHTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S.
DOLLARS (US$18,500,000.00). THIS FUND ACCRUED LEGITIMATELY (BUT
DISCRETELY) TO US AS COMMISSION FROM FOREIGN CONTRACTS, THROUGH
OUR PRIVATE CONNECTIONS.

THE FUND IS PRESENTLY WAITING TO BE REMITTED BY OUR OFFSHORE FUNDS
MANAGERS TO ANY FOREIGN BENEFICIARY SUBMITTED BY US TO THEM AS THE
RECEIVER OF THE FUND. HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR POSITIONS AS CIVIL
SERVANTS IN OUR COUNTRY, WE CANNOT ACQUIRE THIS MONEY IN OUR NAMES.
BECAUSE AS HIGH PLACED CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED BY THE
CIVIL SERVICE CODE OF CONDUCT TO OWN OR OPERATE BANK ACCOUNTS OUTSIDE
OF OUR SHORES. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS NOT SAFE FOR US TO KEEP THE MONEY
HERE DUE TO OUR UNSTABLE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.

I HAVE BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY COLLEAGUES, TO LOOK FOR
AN OVERSEAS SILENT PARTNER IN WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WOULD TRANSFER THE
US$18,500,000.00 FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT, HENCE THE REASON FOR THIS EMAIL.

WHAT I AM REQUESTING FROM YOU IS: (1) TO BE OUR SILENT PARTNER AND RECEIVE
THE FUNDS IN YOUR ACCOUNT IN TRUST. (2) PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT UNDER YOUR
CONTROL TO WHICH THE FUNDS WILL BE REMITTED. (3) RECEIVE THE FUNDS IN YOUR
ACCOUNT,TAKE OUT YOUR COMMISSION AND KEEP THE REST OF THE MONEY UNTIL I
ARRIVE THERE TO MEET YOU AFTER THE TRANSFER IS COMPLETED.

OUR PROPOSAL IS THAT AFTER YOU RECEIVE THE FUNDS, IT WOULD BE SHARED
AS FOLLOWS: (1) 20% TO YOU AS COMMISSION, WHILE THE REMAINING 80% BELONGS
TO MYSELF AND THE TWO COLLEAGUES HERE. YOU WILL BE FREE TO TAKE OUT YOUR
COMMISSION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FUNDS HIT YOUR ACCOUNT. SINCE OUR
OBJECTIVE IS TO INVEST THE MONEY IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, IT WOULD BE
APPRECIATED IF YOU CAN ALSO HELP US TO INVEST OUR OWN MONEY INTO PROFITABLE VENTURES IN
YOUR COUNTRY.

HOWEVER, THIS IS OPTIONAL, AND SHOULD IT NOT BE CONVENIENT FOR YOU TO
FURTHER ASSIST US WITH INVESTING THE MONEY, WE CAN END OUR COOPERATION
AFTER YOU HAND OVER TO US OUR PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY.


THE TRANSACTION, ALTHOUGH DISCRETE, IS LEGITIMATE AND THE MONEY WILL BE
TRANSFERRED TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH ALL NECESSARY BACK-UP DOCUMENTS SHOWING
LEGITIMATE SOURCE/ORIGIN OF FUND. THE TRANSFER WILL BE EFFECTED TO YOUR
ACCOUNT WITHIN SEVEN (7) WORKING DAYS AS SOON AS WE REACH AN AGREEMENT AND
YOU FURNISH ME WITH A SUITABLE BANK ACCOUNT FOR RECEIVING
THE MONEY.

I PLEAD WITH YOU ON ONE ISSUE, WHETHER YOU ARE INTERESTED OR NOT, KINDLY
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS INFORMATION TO ANY ONE ELSE. I CONFIRM THAT THE
TRANSACTION IS LEGITIMATE AND WITHOUT ANY RISKS EITHER TO OURSELVES OR
YOURSELF.

PLEASE, GIVE ME YOUR RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY BY RETURN MAIL, WHILE KEEPING
EVERYTHING CONFIDENTIAL.

YOURS FAITHFULLY

MR.JAMES MARK


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