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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Prof Charles Soludo" <cbn_paymentzone06@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 15:18:40 +0000
Subject: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.

nigerian flag

  CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
  TINUBU SQUARE,VICTORIA ISLAND,LAGOS-NIGERIA
     FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
      CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
     TINUBU SQUARE LAGOS
    
                                              
From the Desk Of:
Prof Charles Soludo
Executive Governor 
Tel : 234-806-0796-515
 
 
 
ATTN: SIR/MADAM IMMEDIATE CONTRACT
PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.
                CONTRACT #: MAV/NNPC/FGN/MIN/0019.
 
FROM THE RECORDS OF OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS DUE   FOR
PAYMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, YOUR NAME AND COMPANY
WAS DISCOVERED AS 
 
NEXT ON THE LIST OF THE OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS WHO
HAVE NOT YET 
RECEIVED THEIR PAYMENTS.  
I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR PAYMENT IS BEING PROCESSED AND WILL BE
RELEASED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU RESPOND TO THIS LETTER.
ALSO BE ADVISED
THAT BECAUSE OF TOO MANY CONTRACTORS THAT I HAVE TO PAY AT THIS FIRST  
QUARTER OF   THE YEAR, YOU WILL ONLY RECEIVE THE SUM OF
US$20,000,000,
(TWENTY  MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY), SO THAT I
WILL BE ABLE TO
PAY OTHER CONTRACTORS, BUT MY
PROMISE IS THAT I WILL
MAKE SURE THAT YOU RECEIVE YOUR BALANCE   LATER. 
KINDLY RE-CONFIRM TO ME THE FOLLOWINGS INFORMATION:
 
1) YOUR FULL NAME.
2) PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE #.
3) COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS.
4) PROFESSION, AGE AND MARITAL STAUS. 
 
UPON THE RECONFIRMATION OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION,
YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOU IN A CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT OR WIRED TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT DIRECTLY FROM CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.SEND ME AN EMAIL  AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL.
 
REGARDS,
 
PROF. CHARLES SOLUDO
.
--

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