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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 Obi" <frankobi001@msn.com>
Reply-To: obifrank@terramail.com.sv
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 18:55:43 +0000
Subject: URGENT REPPLY PLEASE

BARRISTER FRANK OBI,
2 WILLIAMS STREET,
VICTORIA ISLAND
LAGOS.NIGERIA
EMAIL ADDRESS: obifrank@terramail.com.sv

DEAR SIR,


THIS IS BARR. FRANK OBI, I AM THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO LATE MRS STELLA
OBASANJO FIRST LADY (FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA).WHO DIED ON THE NOV
2005.

IT HAPPENED THAT MY MADAM DIED FEW MONTH AGO AFTER AN OPERATION IN A
SPANISH HOSPITAL, THOUGH I DONT KNOW YOU IN PERSON BUT ITS LIKE THE SPIRIT
OF GOD TOUCHED ME TO KNOW YOU, I AND MY MADAM DEPOSITED THE SUM OF 32
MILLION
POUNDS,(THIRTY TWO MILLION BRITISH POUNDS) IN A FOREIGN SECURTY COMPANY
(NAME WITHHELD).OUR AIM OF TRAVLING TO SPAIN WAS TO HAVE A MEETING WITH
AN INTERNATIONAL BASED BUSINESS MAN WHOM WE HAVE DISCOURSED HERE IN
NIGERIA BEFORE OUR MEETING FOR THE INVESTMENT OF A HUG SOME OF MONEY WITH
HIS ASSISTANCE. WE CARRIED THIS MONEY TO OVERSEAS WITH HER DIPLOMATIC
IMMUNITY FOR INVESTMENT.THIS MONEY IS RIGHT NOW IN A SECURITY COMPANY
OVERSEAS BUT I WILL DISCLOSE THE COUNTRY TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU SHOW YOUR
FULL SUPPORT TO ASSIST ME FOR THE CLAIM OF IT.

I AM HERE WITH THE WHOLE DOCUMENTS AND THE MONEY WAS DEPOSITED IN MY
NAME AS HIS PERSONAL ASSISTANCE JUST TO AVOID OUR GOVERNMENT DISCOVER IT.

THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY TO CLAIM THIS MONEY INTO ANOTHER ACCOUNT, PLEASE
I
WILL LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS MATTER SECRET AND CONFIDENCIAL, PLEASE
REMENBER TO SEND TO ME YOUR PHONE NUMBER ANDFAX NUMBER AND YOUR ACCOUNT
DETAILS, EVARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THIS MONEY IS HERE WITH ME, NOBODY
KNOWS ABOUT THIS PLEASE.

PLEASE DO NOT BETRAY ME, I AM GOING TO OFFER YOU %30 OF TOTAL SUM AND
%10 FOR THE EXPENCIES WICH MAY BE INCURED ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY
INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, WHILE %60 GOES TO ME, AFTER THIS TRANSACTION I WILL LIKE
YOU TO LOOK FOR A VERY GOOD PROFITABLE BUSINESS THAT I WILL INVEST MY MONEY
INTO. YOU CAN ALSO GET ME THROUGH THIS EMAIL FOR SECURITY
REASONS:Email: obifrank@terramail.com.sv

YOURS,
BARR FRANK OBI.


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