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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: "thomas higgen" <t_higgen@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 13:36:00 +0000
Subject: Hello!

ROM:Mr.Thomas Higgen
Plot #22 Mbadiwe Crescent
Victoria Island
Lagos-Nigeria.


Hello,

I am Mr. Thomas Higgen, The assistant chairman foreign contractors award
committee
of Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation [NNPC].

In the fiscal year 2002, there was a contract awarded to Julius Berger
Constructions
Company, by NNPC, this contract was to supply and service oil and gas
pipelines
in all NNPC refineries in the country.

The said contract has been executed last 2003 and the contractor has been
paid,but my good office used it's little contacts in the firm to over
invoice
the said contract to the sum of Twenty five million dollars [25million
dollars].


My office cannot collect the money as the contract was awarded to a
foreign company and thereby the money must be collected by a foreigner,
please
i am soliciting you to help in claiming the money as i have every vital
documents to back you up the money on your behalf as the rightful owner.


Once you indicates your willingness to help, i will hire a lawyer that will
go to the federal high court here to obtain a certificate of change of
ownership
of the money in Your name, a copy will be sent to you and to the bank, hence
BANK will contact you as the rightful beneficiary of the said amount for
payment.

For your good help you will get 40% of the total contract value while 60%
will come back to me.

Thanks for your understanding and good help.



Best regards,

Thomas Higgen


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