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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: "Martins Iimaa" <martinsiimaa15@msn.com>
Reply-To: martinsimaa@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:01:26 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY!!!

Greetings!!!

I am Mr Martins IImaa , a member of staff in a Corporate Securities firm. We
keep valuables

for high net worth individuals, blue chip corporations and diplomatic
organisations.

I am contacting you in regards to our client, the late Chief (Mrs.) Stella
Obasanjo, who

died on Sunday October 23, 2005 in a surgical operation in Spain. This
client has a total

deposit of Thirty Two Million United States Dollars in our vaults. After the
9/11 incidents,

our company policy do not permit cash deposit, so he confided in me as the
foreign

operations officer to make this deposit since June 2004. She did this to
avoid traces of

the money to her since her husband, president Olusegun Obansanjo was against
any corruption

and embezzlement of funds.

The last communication I had with her was on the 25th of August 2005, where
she was making

arrangements to claim the deposit. Thereafter it was revealed that she died
of a surgical

operation in Spain in October. After the acknowledgement of her death, it
became apparent

that there was no claim to her funds since she listed no next of kin in her
bio-data form.

She made the deposit under the name of Guardian Trust investment (GTI) and
disclosed the

content as company valuables and Antiques. This was for confidentiality and
to reduce taxes.

If no claim is made within six months, the company under its storage terms
and conditions

will legally auction the content of the deposit. If discovered that the
content is cash, it

will be confiscated and I would be penalised, since I accepted the cash
deposit against the

company?s regulations.

As a staff, it is impossible for me to have access to the funds or claim it
myself. More so,

such valuable deposits are kept at a different branch, where we have our
terminal

facilities. Consequently, it is important that I find a credible candidate
to play the role

of the Trustee or representative of Guardian Trust investment to help claim
the deposit. It

is on this ground that I need your assistance to claim the funds which will
be possible with

the information I hold. Once this is achieved, you shall be entitled to 50%
of the total

funds while I shall retain the balance 50%. I am aware of the risks involved
in this

proposal, therefore I ask that you consider the factors above and keep it
strictly

confidential. However, if you feel you are unable to fulfil this role, I
request you discard

of this letter.

I look forward to hearing form you.

Thank you. Mr

Martins IImaa



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