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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: "Princess Ifeoma Solomon" <princess_ifeoma6@msn.com>
Reply-To: princess_ifeoma@takemail.com
Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 10:12:24 +0000
Subject: PRINCESS IFEOMA ABONIME.

PRINCESS IFEOMA ABONIME.
The Palace of King of Ogoni Kingdom,
Ogoni Oil producing community,
Rivers State Nigeria.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am PRINCESS IFEOMA, daughter of HRH King Solomon Abonime, the king of
Ogoni Kingdom. I am 28 years old and a graduate of Mass Communication.My
father was the king of Ogoni Kingdom the highest oil producing area in
Nigeria. He was in charge of reviving royalties from the multi-national oil
companies and government on behalf of the oil producing communities in
Nigeria.

After the hanging of the Ogoni Nine(9) including Ken Saro Wiwa by the late
dictator General Sani Abacha, my father suffered stroke and died in August
27th last year. But before his death,he called me and told me he has
Twenty-One Million five hundred and fifty thousand United States Dollars
(USD21.550,000,000.00) cash in his possession, specially deposited in a
Company's Security vault Abroad.

He advised me not to tell anybody except my mother who is the last wife of
the (8) eight wives that he married. My mother did not bear any male child
for him. Which implies that all my father?s properties,companies e.t.c., we
have no share in them because my mother has no male child according to
African Tradition.

My father therefore secretly gave me all the relevant documents of the said
money, and told me that I should use this money with my mother and my
younger sisters because he knows that tradtionally, if he dies we cannnot
get anything, as inheritance.He importantly advised me that I should seek
foreign assistannce and that I should not invest this money here in Nigeria
because of his other wives and male children who happen to be myelders.

I am soliciting for your immediate assistance to get a Bungalow for us,
where I will live with my mother and two younger sisters and further advise
me where and how I will invest the balance money overseas, possibly on
products of your company and other profitable ventures.

I believe that by the special grace of God, you will help us move this money
out from the Security Company's to any country of your choice where we can
invest this money judiciously with you. You are entitled to a reasonable
part of this money based on your agreement between you and my lawyer.

God will bless you as you help us.

Looking forward to hear from you as soon as possible.

Regards,
Princess Ifeoma Abonime


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