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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: "Frank Bobby" <infoworld999@msn.com>
Reply-To: princewilliams_20@yahoo.es
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 18:52:14 +0000
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED !!

Dear Friend
 
I got your contact through my personal search, you
were revealed as being quite astute in private
Entrepreneurship, one has no doubt in your ability to
handle a financial business transaction.

However, I am the first son of His Royal Majesty
Highness Pepple William, the traditional ruler of
Bonny province in the Oil rich area of Rivers state in
Nigeria. I am making this contact to you in respect of
USD45, 000,000.00 (Fourty Five Million United States
Dollars), which I inherited from my late father.

As You may be aware that my country is the third
lagest oil producing country in the whole world. My
father is the ruler of the richest community in
Nigeria. My community produce 5.8% of the total annual
Oil production in Nigeria and 0.5% of the Dollar value
of each barrel is paid to my father as royalty by the
Federal Government. In his position as the royal head
and chairman of the Bonny Oil trust fund.

Foreigners often refer to his kingdom as the Gas/Oil
Land. This is because the island floats atop one of
the largest gas and oil deposits anywhere in the
world. This explains why the island is home to several
Multinational oil companies, such as Shell,
Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and one of Nigeria's most
expensive ventures in recent time, Nigeria Liquefied
Natural Gas Company (NLNG).

Some of this money was accumulated from royalties paid
to my father as compensation by the Oil firms located
in our area, for hampering Agriculture which is our
main source of livelihood. Unfortunately my father
died from protracted diabetes. Before his death he
willed the sum of USD45, 000,000.00 (Fourty Five
Million United States Dollars). I deposited this money
in cash into a consignment and kept it in the custody
of a security company without the security company
knowing the content.

I have the certificate of Deposit to show for it.

My problem actually started when my stepmother said
that the next king must be her son instead of me. I am
the first son of my father but my stepmother has used
her position and influence to convince some members of
the council of elders that my biological mother was
not properly married to my father. This is just a bid
to deny me of my right, which I challenged. In the
process there was confusion that divided the community
into two factions. This led to revolution by the
youths and women. Consequently, my international
passport was seized just to stop me from travelling
outside the country.

Now I need help. I need someone who will bring the
fund I deposited with the financial security company
and deposit it in his/her personal account pending
when I will be free again. Please, help me to salvage
the only hope of survival that I now have.

I am in need of help because I don't want to incure
extra cost on the deposit since I don't know how long
my problem will last.

If you can help me in this my time of need, I will
give you 25% of the total sum, we will use 15% to run
a motherless babies home in your country while 60%
will be given to me to enable me invest it in your
country.

I look forward to your helping me.

Your's sincerely,

Prince Williams

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