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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: "EMMANUEL ADIKA" <emannueladika@msn.com>
Reply-To: adikaemmanuel@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:30:34 +0000
Subject: Contact me.

BANK OF THE NORTH INTERNATIONAL NIGERIA PLC
123B AHMADU BELLO WAY,
VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS - NIGERIA
www.bankofthenorth.com
Hello,

I must first ask you to forgive my intrusion as i am sure this message comes
to you
as a surprise and may offend your personality for contacting you without
your
prior consent and writing through this channel.I got your contact from a
proffesional database found on the internet while searching for a reliable
and
honest person that will be an annointed steward in an issue very dear to us.
I AM MR. EMMANUEL ADIKA, THE MANAGER, BILLS AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN
REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE BANK OF THE NORTH INTERNATIONAL NIGERIA
PLC, I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION TO
CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY DEPARTMENT.UPON ROUTINE ACCOUNTING
CHECKS,WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF $15,000.000.00(FIFTEEN MILLION
UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN
CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY OF A WIFE AND HIS ONLY
DAUGHTER IN AN AIR CRASH, ALASKA AIRLINE FLIGHT 261 IN 2000. THE SAID
CUSTOMER WANTED TO USE MONEY AND INVEST IN CRUDE OIL BUSINESS IN NIGERIA.
SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH, NOBODY HAS COME FOR ANY CLAIMS AS NOBODY KNEW
OF THE ACCOUNT.THE NAME OF OUR LATE CUSTOMER IS MORRIS THOMPSON, HIS WIFE'S
NAME THELMAN THOMPSON, DAUGHTER'S NAME SHERYL THOMPSON,THE OWNER OF DOYON
LTD, IN ALASKA.
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/

WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND FILE FOR CLAIMS
FOR HIS MONEY AS THE HEIR, BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUNDS FROM HIS
ACCOUNT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED
AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES.
UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER HIS FAMILY MEMBER NOR DISTANT RELATIVE HAS EVER
APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUNDS. UPON THIS DISCOVERY, I AND OTHER
OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AGREED THAT WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE WE CAN WORK OUT
AN ARRANGEMENT AND WRITE AN APPLICATION FOR CLAIMS ON YOUR BEHALF AND MAKE
YOU THE NEXT OF KIN.
WE WILL PROCESS ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDS IS
RELEASED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE HEIR OF THE FUND SINCE NOONE HAS COME
FORWARD TO LAY CLAIMS AS HE DIED WITH ALL THE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY AND IF
NOTHING IS DONE SOON,THE FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE BANKS TREASURY AS
UNCLAIMED FUND AND THE BANK WILL CONFISCATE THE FUNDS AND THAT WILL BE THE
END.
IT IS TO THIS END THAT WE ARE AGREED THAT YOUR ASSISTANCE WILL BE HIGHLY
USEFULL.WE HAVE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE AS FOLLOWS
: 30% FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER WHO FACILITATES THE ACTUAL TRANSFER,
60% FOR US THE OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT WHO TAKE CARE OF THE PAPER WORK
AND OTHER INCIDENTALS,AND 10% FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN
EXPENSES INCURRED BY US IN THE COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS.UPON THE SUCCESSFUL
COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER,WE WILL AMKE ARRANGEMENTS ON HOW TO MEET TO TAKE
CARE OF OUR SHARE.FROM OUR 60% WE INTEND TO INEVEST ON ANY VIABLE BUSINESS
VENTURE AS A WAY OF RECYCLING THE FUNDS.
TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE REQUIRE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY INDICATE
YOUR INTEREST BY A RETURN E-MAIL.
NOTE ALSO, THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINITAIN UTMOST
CONFIDENTIALITY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE TRANSACTION.

I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR RESPONSE.
MY WARM REGARDS
EMMANUEL ADIKA


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