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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.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "james chidu" <james_chidu15@msn.com>
Reply-To: jameschidu1@terra.com.mx
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2006 01:11:44 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY

FROM THE DESK OF JAMES CHIDU
WEMA BANK PLC,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
TELEPHONE;234 80 28292105
EMAIL: jameschidu@myway.com

DEAR SIR,

STRICTLY A PRIVATE BUSINESS PROPOSAL

I AM JAMES CHIDU , THE MANAGER, BILLS AND
EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE
WEMA BANK PLC.
I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND
COOPERATION TO
CARRY OUT THIS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY IN MY
DEPARTMENT. WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF
$15,000,000.00 (FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS
ONLY) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN
CUSTOMERS WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY OF A
WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN IN NOVEMBER 1997 IN A PLANE
CRASH.
SINCE WE HEARD OF HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING
HIS NEXT-OF-KIN TO COME OVER AND PUT CLAIMS FOR HIS
MONEY AS THE
HEIR,BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND FROM HIS
ACCOUNT UNLESS
SOMEONE
APPLIES FOR CLAIM AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED
AS INDICATED IN
OUR
BANKING GUIDELINES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THEIR
FAMILY MEMBER NOR
DISTANT
RELATIVE HAS EVER APPEARED TO CLAIM THE SAID FUND.
UPON THIS
DISCOVERY,I AND OTHER
OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT HAVE AGREED TO MAKE
BUSINESS WITH YOU AND RELEASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE HEIR OF THE FUND SINCE NO ONE CAME
FOR IT OR DISCOVERED HE MAINTAINED ACCOUNT WITH
OUR BANK, OTHERWISE THE FUND WILL BE RETURNED TO THE
BANKS TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND.
WE HAVE AGREED THAT OUR RATIO OF SHARING WILL BE
AS STATED THUS;
30 % FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER,
60 % FOR US THE OFFICIALS IN MY DEPARTMENT AND
10% FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF ALL LOCAL AND
FOREIGN EXPENCES INCURRED BY US AND YOU DURING THE
COURSE OF THIS BUSINESS. UPON THE SUCCESSFUL
COMPLETION OF THIS TRANSFER, I AND ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES WILL COME TO YOUR COUNTRY AND MIND OUR
SHARE. IT
IS FROM OUR 60 % WE INTEND TO IMPORT AGRICULTURAL
MACHINERIES INTO MY COUNTRY AS A WAY OF RECYCLING THE
FUND.
TO COMMENCE THIS TRANSACTION, WE REQUIRE YOU TO
IMMEDIATELY INDICATE YOUR INTEREST BY A RETURN E-MAIL
AND ENCLOSE YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX
NUMBER FULL NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOUR DESIGNATED
BANK COORDINATES TO ENABLE US FILE LETTER OF CLAIM TO
THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS
BEFORE THE TRANSFER CAN BE MADE.
NOTE ALSO, THIS TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT STRICTLY
CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE
OF IT'S NATURE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.

REGARDS,

MR. JAMES CHIDU
WEMA BANK PLC

NOT'S REPLY TO jameschidu@terra.com.mx
jameschidu@myway.com



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