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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: "MICHEAL" <micheal_smith@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: micheal_smith@ny.com
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 07:44:51 +0100
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE

Auditing,Accounting and Verifications Unit
Foreign Operations Department
Citi Bank PLC
Dakar Senegal West Africa

COMPLIMENT
I know that this mail might come to you as a surprise,But do consider it as an emergency. My name is Mr. Micheal Smith, the auditing,accounting & verifications manager in Citi Bank Plc Dakar Senegal. I Hoped that you will not expose or betray this trust and confident that I am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both families. We need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of ($15.720m) immediately to your bank account or you come here in our bank for cash paying into your hands,

The money has been dormant for years in our Bank here without any body coming for it. I want to release the money to you as the nearest person and next of kin to our deceased customer(the owner of the account name “Mr.Morris Thompson 61years,of fairbanks,Alaska America who died long with his supposed next of kin on january 31st 2000 with AlaskaAirlines flight 261.You can as well confirm it by yourself through the understated website of the incident
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/ and if you want to know more about the man himself, you can check
http://www.nativefederation.org/history/people/mThompson.html


I will not fail to inform you that this transaction is 100% risk free. On smooth Conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 30% of the total sum as gratification,5% will be set aside to take care of expenses that may arise during the time of transfer and also telephone bills,while 65% will be for me.Please, you have been advised to keep this "Top Secret" as am still in service and intend to retire from service after i conclude this deal with you. And I assure you that this transaction will not last more than 10 working days and you confirm the money in your account.I need your assistance and co-operation to get this deal done.Because as a foreigner, you stand a better position to be presented through documentation as the next of kin/Partner since the deceased is also a foreigner,this is the reason why I could not do this deal alone.

All other necessary vital information will be sent to you when I hear from you.I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible stating your wish in this deal.I am expecting your urgent reply as soon as you receive this message.

Regards,
Micheal Smith.



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