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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: "MR PRINCE WENDE" <princewende@latinmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: princewende@portugalmail.pt
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 10:12:58 +0000
Subject: PRIVATE

DEAR ,

I AM MR.PRINCE WENDE THE SON OF THE LATE SIERRA-LEONIAN BUSINESSMAN, LATE DR
HENRY WENDE MUTENDE THE OWNER OF (UMS) MINING COMPANY IN SIERRA-LEONE, WHO DIED
7 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE REVOLUTIONARY UNITED FRONT REBELS (R.U.F)ATTACKED OUR
RESIDENCE IN MAKENI COUNTY OF SIERRA-LEONE. FOLLOWING THE CURRENT CEASE FIRE
AGREEMENT WHICH WAS REACHED WITH THE HELP OF UNITED NATION PEACE KEEPING
TROOPS,I USED THE OPPOTURNITY TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY WITH A VERY IMPORTANT
DOCUMENT OF (USD$28)TWENTY EIGHT MILLION U.S DOLLARS.

THIS DOCUMENT IS A CERTIFICATE ISSUED TO MY LATE FATHER BY A SECURITY COMPANY
IN LOME, THE CAPITAL CITY OF TOGO, IN MY NAME FOR THE DEPOSIT OF A BOX
CONTAINING THE ABOVE FUND. BEFORE MY FATHER DIED HE INFORMED ME OF IT AND ALSO
TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THE SECURITY COMPANY OFFICIALS ARE NOT AWARE THAT
THE BOX IS CONTAING MONEY.

ALTHOUGH THIS MONEY WAS REALISED FROM THE SALES OF GOLD AND DIAMOND BUT IT IS
NOT IN DISPUT. NOW THAT I AM SEEKING ASYLUM IN LOME-TOGO AS A REFUGEE MY MAIN
REASON OF CONTACTING YOU IS BECAUSE I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY
WARNING THAT I SHOULD MAKE HASTE TO DISLODGE THE BOX OR I LOOSE IT TO HIGH
DUMURRAGE RATE WHICH HAS PILLED UP SINCE 7 MONTHS UP TILL DATE.
THEY ADVISED THAT I SHOULD PRESENT THE CRTIFICATE AS THE NEXT OF KIN HENCE THE
BOX IS DEPOSITED TO MY FAVOR, BUT CONSIDERING MY STATUS HERE AS A REFUGEE I
NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE.

I WANT TO PRESENT YOU TO THE SECURITY COMPANY AS THE BENEFICIARY, A FRIEND TO
MY LATE FATHER. THEN AFTER RETRIEVING THE BOX FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY YOU
WILL ASSIST ME MOVE THE MONEY TO YOUR COUNTRY. I ONLY WANT THIS DONE THIS WAY
BECAUSE YOUR COUNTRY IS POLITICALLY SUITABLE FOR ANY PROFITABLE INVESTMENT,
WHICH WILL EMPHASIZE THE UNIQUINES OF THE MONEY HOWEVER I CONTACTED YOU BASED
ON YOUR CAPABILITY AND VAST KNOWLEDGE ON INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT.
MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS PRECISELY FOR YOU TO ASSIST ME IN THE FOLLOWING
WAYS:-
(1) TO HELP ME STAND AS THE BENEFICIARY.

(2) TO HELP ME TRANSFER THE MONEY TO YOUR COUNTRY.

(2) TO HELP ME GET A PROFITABLE BUSINESS TO INVEST THE FUND BASED ON YOUR
PROFESSIONAL ADVISE.

FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND CO-OPERATION I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU 25 % OF THE TOTAL
SUM REALISED AFTER THE SUCESSFULL UPLIFT OF THIS FUND TO YOUR COUNTRY, WHILE 5%
WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES YOU MAY INCUR DURING THE EXERCISE. PLEASE
KINDLY COMMUNICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS MAIL SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THE
MODALITIES OF SEEING THIS TRANSACTION THROUGH.


I COUNT ON YOU GREATLY FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.


REPLY TO: princewende@portugalmail.pt


CALL ME ON: 00228 932 22 03


AWAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.


SINCERELY,

MR PRINCE WENDE--


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