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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Hajia A Maraim" <mhajia15@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mariam60@myway.com
Date: Wed, 09 Nov 2005 19:47:56 -0700
Subject: LETTER OF INVESTMENT


My Dear Friend,

I am Mariam Abacha wife to the late Nigerian Head of state, General Sani
Abacha who died on the 8th of June 1998 while still on active service for
our Country. I am contacting you with the hope that you will be of great
assistance to
me and my family, I currently have within my reach the sum of 35 million
United States dollars cash which l intend to use for investment purposes
outside my country.

This money came as a result of a payback contract deal between my husband
and a Russian firm in our country's multi-billion dollar Ajaokuta steel
plant. The Russian partners returned my husbands share being the above sum
after his death. Presently, the new civilian Government has intensified
their probe into my husbands financial resources which has led to the
freezing of all our accounts, local nand foreign, the revoking of all our
business licences and the arrest of my First son,thanks be to Allah that he
has been released now.

You can check the follwing web-sites about my husband and son and about the
latest developement about my family.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_741000/741506.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/211324.stm

In view of this I acted very fast to withdraw this money from one of our
finance houses before it was closed down. I have deposited the money in a
security company with the help of very loyal officials of my late husband.
No record is known about this fund by the government. Due to the current
situation in the country and government attitude to my
family, I cannot make use of this money within my country, thus I seek your
help in transferring this funds out of the sub-African region. Bearing in
mind that you may assist me, I have decided to part with 30% of the total
sum for your asstance.

Please kindly respond to me by return mail for details of this transaction.
Please include your personal phone number in your response for secure
and easy communication between us.

My Best Regards,
Mrs. Mariam Abacha


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