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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: "klara adams" <info_klara@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: info_klara@myway.com
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006 17:26:03 -0600
Subject: BELOVED FRIEND

FROM MRSKLARA ADAMS.

DEAR BELOVED FRIEND

This business proposal to you is strictly
confidential, with due respect. Sorry at this
perceived confusion or stress may have receiving this
letter from me, Since we have not known ourselves or
met previously. Despite that, I am constrained to
write you this letter because of the urgency of it.By
way of self introduction, I am Mrs.Klara Adams, the
wife of late Brigadier - Gen.Zamani Adams former
ECOMOG ARMY COMMANDER [West African peacekeeping force
in Liberia who died in the Liberia civil disturbance
[War]. My daughter andI is trapped in obnoxious
custom and traditional norms.

We have suffered maltreatment and untold hardship in
the hands of my late husband's family, simply because
I did not bear a male child [heir apparent] for my
late husband. By tradition, all that my late husband
had, [wealth] belongs to his brothers/family. And
myself is to be remarried by his immediate younger
brother which I vehemently refused. They have taken
all that I suffered with my husband to acquire
including treasures, houses and his bank particular
seized by them. I wanted to escape to your country
with my only child on exile, but again
they conspired and stole my international passport and
other traveling document to further frustrate me.

Thank God, two weeks ago, I received Key Text Code
from a Security Company IN ABROAD that my late husband
deposited U.S $28.5 Million cash with this company. It
has therefore, become very necessary and urgentto
contact someone, a foreigner like you to help me
receive/secure these funds overseas in a reliable bank
Account (presumably an empty Bank Account, if
available) and to help invest it on our behalf as
well, while we find a way of getting out to meet with
you in your country.

These funds are kept on an "OPEN BENEFICIARY MANDATE"
with the Security Company in ABROAD to avoid
detection, seizure or diversion. I have had several
telephone discussions with the Director of the
security company in ABROAD, who has express
willingness to help me on meeting the company's
demands.

This is why I have contacted you to help save me and
my only child to receive these funds on our behalf.
But, you would need to give me sufficient assurance
that if you help me, you would not divert the funds.
Me and my child have resolved to give you 30% of the
total sum. For this is all me and my child have got
to live on.

Please, I havereposed my confidence in you and hope
you will not disappoint me. I look forward to your
urgent response, including your full mailling address
indicate your private phone / mobile numbers and also
your fax number for easier communication.

NB: The secret codes and the Pin Number for this fund
are safely kept with me which I can give
you as soon as you express desire to help me.

Stay blessed.
MRS KLARA ADAMS


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