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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: "maryam abacha" <maryamoooo@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 10:25:51 +0000
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME AND MY FAMILY

ATTN; Sir/M

PLS REPLY TO MY PRAVATE BOX (maryamppss@yahoo.it)

I am Hajia Maryam Abacha, widow of the Late Gen. Sani
Abacha former Nigerian Military Head of State who
died as a result of cardiac arrest.


I therefore decided to contact you in confidence so
that I can be able to move out the sum of
US$35,760,000.00 ( Thirty Five Million Seven hundred
and Sixty Thousand U. S. Dollars ) which was secretly
defaced and seal in big metal box for security
reasons in your account.

I personally therefore appeal to you for your urgent
assistance to move this money into your country where
I believe it will be safe since I cannot leave the
country due to the restriction of movement imposed on
me and members of my family by the Nigerian
government.

You can contact me through, or my family lawyer . Upon
the receipt of your acceptance to assist me, my lawyer
shall arrange with you for a face to face meeting
outside Nigeria in order to liaise with him towards
the effective completion of this transaction.

However, arrangement has been put in place to move
this money out of the country in batches in a secret
vault through a diplomatic security company to any of
the European country as soon as you indicate your
interest. I also want you to be assured that all
necessary arrangement for the hitch-free of
thistransaction has been concluded.

Conclusively, I have decided to offer you 25% of the
total sum 5% will be for whatever expenses that will
be incurred, while 70% is to be used in buying share
in your company subsequent to our free movement by the
Nigerian government.

Please reply urgently and treat with absolute
confidentiality and sincerity.

PLS REPLY TO MY PRAVATE BOX (maryamppss@yahoo.it )


Best regards,

HAJIA Maryam.


ABACHAc/o Ba


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