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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: "Dr Obadiah Mailafia" <cbn_ng5@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: dr_obadiah_mailafi@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 04:55:23 -0500
Subject: GOOD DAY

From: Dr Obadiah Mailafia
DIRECTOR OF K.T.T UNIT
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
TEL:234 -1-8194169
E-Mail: dr_obadiah_mailafi@yahoo.com


ATTN:

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS MESSAGE AND IN ANY
ATTACHMENTS, CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND IS
INTENDED SOLELY FOR THE ATTENTION AND USE OF THE NAMED
ADDRESSEE (S).IT MUST NOT BE DISCLOSED TO ANY
PERSON(S) WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. IF YOU ARE NOT THE
INTENDED RECIPIENT, OR A PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR
DELIVERING IT TO THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, YOU ARE NOT
AUTHORIZED TO AND MUST NOT, DISCLOSE, COPY,DISTRIBUTE,
OR RETAIN THIS MESSAGE OR ANY PART OF IT. RE: UNPAID CONTRACT SUM

After waiting to hear from you or your Nigeria
partners for a long time now, I decided to make this
direct approach to you in other not to let it be as if
I have anything in mind against you.
I do not know if you have asked yourself why each time
the release of these fund is approved, all of a
sudden, the payment will be stopped or one problem or
the other will come up. If you have not asked this
question or you do not know, this is an opportunity
for me to tell you.

Some time ago, your Nigerian friend I mean the people
that introduced you to the project approached me
through my dear Wife who works with the federal
Ministry of Finance and requested me to assist them
conclude a money transfer deal they had with you, they
requested me to assist them by removing the original
contractors name, company’s name and bank particulars
from Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) vetting computer
and replacing them with your name and your bank
details in order to make you appear as the rightful
beneficiary of this funds.

I agreed on condition that they will pay me $100,000
as soon as your name appears as the beneficiary. I did
as agreed and demanded to be paid but your friends
started telling me stories. They even told me that you
promise to send money to me. Do you know that up till
now, I have not received a single cent from them and
have not set my eyes on any of them. Based on their
attitude, I decided to stop the funds release movement
because I cannot be denied of my right in my own
office considering the risk as it might affect my job.

Secondly, I know the source of the funds and you did
not execute any contract in Nigeria, although I am the
only person privileged to know this information and it
is a fact. Why I am making this clear to you is that I can see
that you are still making efforts spending money in
order to conclude this project. Now I am ready to
forget the past, I do not need the $100,000 any longer
from you but a share of 25% of the total sum. I need
your assurance that those your colleagues will be
totally keep out of this transaction, I know that none
of them is aware of this transaction after trying
their best to conclude it without my consent.

Finally, I need your promise that no official of the
Central bank of Nigeria will be aware of my
involvement in this regard. Now re-assure me that you
will be willing to offer me the 25% of the fund, that
you will assist my wife and personal assistant to
establish a foreign account in your country where my
share will be lodged.

If you are ready to conclude this business with me,you
can contact me immediately on (EMAIL:dr_obadiah_mailafi@yahoo.com ) so that
we can
have chat over this issue once and for all so that we can move forward. But
if the reverse is the case, do not bother yourself to reach me.

Regards,

Dr Obadiah Mailafia
DIRECTOR OF K.T.T UNIT


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