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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Abacha Family" <abacha_family_06@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 22:25:50 -0600
Subject: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE

HAJIA MARYAM ABACHA
2/8 Gidado Drive,GRA,
Kano - Nigeria.
Hello sir/madam,
 
Please as you read kindly open the websitesand go through it :-
http://www.onlinenigeria.com/links/adv.asp?blurb=131.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1935646.stm.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3244092.stm
 
I am Hajia Maryam Abacha, widow of the Late Gen. Sani
Abacha former Nigerian Military Head of State who died
as a result of cardiac arrest.
I therefore decided to contact you in confidence so
that I can be able to move out the sum of
US$35,760,000.00 ( Thirty Five Million Seven
hundred and Sixty Thousand U. S. Dollars ) which was
secretly packaged well and  seal in big metal box for
security reasons in your account.
 
I personally therefore appeal to you for your urgent
assistance to move this money into your country where
I believe it will be safe since I cannot
leave the country due to the restriction of movement
imposed on me andmembers of my family by the Nigerian
government.
 
You can contact me through, or my family lawyer . Upon
the receipt of your acceptance to assist me, my lawyer
shall arrange with you for a face to face meeting
outside Nigeria in order to liaise with him towards
the effective completion of this transaction.
 
However, arrangement has been put in place to move
this money out of the country in batches in a secret
vault through a diplomatic security company to any of
the European country as soon as you indicate your
interest. I also want you to be assured that all
necessary arrangement for the hitch-free of this
transaction has been concluded.
 
Conclusively, I have decided to offer you 30% of the
total sum 5% will be for whatever expenses that will
be incurred, while 65% is to be used in buying share
in your country or any possible thing you believe you
and i could invest in subsequent to my free movement by
the Nigerian government.
 
Please reply urgently and treat with absolute
confidentiality and sincerity and i strongly believe
by looking up this website links i listed below will
definietly give you a strong comprehesion of the
message i have been trying to convey to you in good
faith.
 
I look forward to working with you.
Thank you
HAJIA MARYAM ABACHA
 
--

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