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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: "Ajayi Rufus" <ajayirufus@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: ajayi_rufus@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 04:33:24 +0000
Subject: Please Assist And God Bless

HELLO ,

YOUR FIRST REACTION TO THIS MAIL WILL BE TOTAL REJECTION, SCARE AND MAY
BE DISBELIEF, OWNING LARGELY TO THE ATROCITIES PEOPLE COMMIT THESE
DAYS.

BUT THIS MAIL COMES FROM A DEVASTATED, SORROWFUL AND EMOTIONAL LADEN
SOUL THAT NEEDS COMPASSION FROM A KIND AND GOOD SPIRITED PERSON TO WIPE
AWAY MY TEARS AND APPROPRIATE MY DREAM AND HUMANITARIAN GESTURE.

AS YOU READ THIS, I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL SORRY FOR ME, BECAUSE, I
BELIEVE EVERYONE DIES SOMEDAY.MY NAME IS RUFUS AJAYI A MERCHANT IN
DUBAI,IN THE U.A.E.I WORKED WITH ZAMBIAN MINISTRY OF MINING AND
RESOURCES FOR EIGHT YEARS AS A CONTRACTOR,I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH
ESOPHAGEAL CANCER .IT HAS DEFILED ALL FORMS OF MEDICAL TREATMENT,I AM
VERY WORRIED AS THE DOCTORS HAVE INFORMED ME THAT ITS TERMINAL.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT ON EARTH, HENCE THIS MAIL TO
YOU.I HAVE NOT PARTICULARLY LIVED MY LIFE WELL, AS I NEVER REALLY CARED
FOR ANYONE BUT MY BUSINESS. THOUGH I AM VERY RICH, I WAS NEVER
GENEROUS, I WAS ALWAYS HOSTILE TO PEOPLE AND ONLY FOCUSED ON MY
BUSINESS AS THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I CARED FOR. BUT NOW I REGRET ALL THIS
AS I NOW KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST WANTING TO HAVE OR MAKE
ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD.

I BELIEVE WHEN GOD GIVES ME A SECOND CHANCE TO COME TO THIS WORLD I
WOULD LIVE MY LIFE A DIFFERENT WAY FROM HOW I HAVE LIVED IT. NOW THAT GOD
HAS CALLED ME, I HAVE WILLED AND GIVEN MOST OF MY PROPERTY
AND ASSETS TO MY IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL AS A FEW
CLOSE FRIENDS.

I WANT GOD TO BE MERCIFUL TO ME AND ACCEPT MY SOUL HENCE, I DECIDED TO
GIVE ALMS TO CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS, AS I WANT THIS TO BE ONE OF THE
LAST GOOD DEEDS I DO ON EARTH. SO FAR, I HAVE DISTRIBUTED
MONEY TO SOME CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE U.A.E,ALGERIA AND MALAYSIA.

NOW THAT MY HEALTH HAS DETERIORATED SO BADLY, I CANNOT DO THIS MYSELF
ANYMORE. I ONCE ASKED MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY TO CLOSE ONE OF MY ACCOUNTS AND
DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY WHICH I HAVE THERE TO CHARITY ORGANIZATION IN BULGARIA
AND PAKISTAN, THEY REFUSED AND KEPT THE MONEY TO THEMSELVES.

HENCE, I DO NOT TRUST THEM ANYMORE, AS THEY SEEM NOT TO BE CONTENT WITH WHAT
I HAVE LEFT FOR THEM.THE LAST OF MY MONEY WHICH NO ONE KNOWS OF IS THE HUGE
CASH DEPOSIT OF EIGHTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS THAT I HAVE IN A
FINANCE/SECURITY COMPANY ABROAD. I WILL WANT YOU TO HELP ME COLLECT THIS
DEPOSIT AND DISPATCH IT TO CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS.

I HAVE SET ASIDE 40% FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR TIME.

PLEASE RESPOND TO MY EMAIL THROUGH MY VERY PRIVATE EMAIL
ACCONT:ajayi_rufus@hotmail.com

GOD BE WITH YOU.

AJAYI RUFUS.


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