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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: "Williams Obi" <williamsobi20@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: pete200259@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 04:47:07 +0000
Subject: COMPLIMENTS OF THE DAY

COMPLIMENTS OF THE DAY



RE:TRANSFER OF THE SUM OF US$10M DOLLARS INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FIRST,I MUST
SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION.THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF IT'S NATURE
AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET.THOUGH I KNOW THAT A
TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL MAKE ANYONE APPREHENSIVE AND WORRIED.

BUT IAM ASSURING YOU THAT ALL WILL BE WELL AT THE END OFTHE DAY.WE HAVE
DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU THROUGH THIS MEDIUM DUE TO THE URGENCY OF THIS
TRANSACTION AS WE HAVE BEEN RELIABLY INFORMED OF YOUR DISCRETENESS AND
ABILITY. LET ME START BY INTRODUCING MYSELF TO YOU.

I AM WILLIAMS M.OBI,A SENIOR ACCOUNTANT WITH THE UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC.
MARINA BRANCH OFFICE LAGOS.I CAME TO KNOW ABOUT YOU IN MY PRIVATE SEARCH FOR
A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE THIS CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION AS
WE ARE STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE. THE PROPOSITION. AN CANADA NATIONAL,LATE
ENGINEER JEFFREY LANDERCASPER,AN OIL MERCHANT/CONTRACTOR WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA,UNTIL HIS DEATH THREE YEARS AGO IN A GHASTY AIR CRASH
IN AN EGYPTIAN AIRLINE,BANKED WITH US HERE AT UNION BANK OF NIGERIA
PLC.MARINA BRANCH LAGOS,AND HAD A CLOSSING BALANCE OFUS$10MUSD WHICH THE
BANK UNQUESTIONABLY EXPECTS IT TO BE CLAIMED BY ANY AVAILABLE FOREIGN
NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE LATE BENEFICIARY OR ALTERNATIVELY BE DONATED TO A
DISCREDITED TRUST FUND FOR THE PURCHASE OF ARMS AND AMMUNITIONS AT THE
MILITARY WAR COLLEGE IN KADUNA STATE HERE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA.

SEQUEL TO THIS,FERVENT VALUABLE EFFORTS WERE MADE BY UNION BANK PLC.TO GET
IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE MIGUEL'SFAMILY OR RELATIVES BUT PROVED TO NO
AVAIL.IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED POSIBILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCATE
ANY OF THE LATE ENGR.JEFFREY LANDERCASPER [NEXT-OF-KIN] HE HAD NO KNOWN WIFE
AND CHILDREN) THAT THE MANAGEMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF OUR HONOURABLE
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OFDIRECTORS,(Retired)MAJOR-GENERAL KALU
UKE KALU THAT AN ARRANGEMENT BE MADE FOR THE FUND TO BE DECLARED
UN-CLAIMABLE" AND SUBSIQUENTLY BE DONATED TO THE TRUST FUND FOR THE PURCHASE
OF ARMS AND AMMUNITON TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE COURSE OF WAR IN AFRICA AND THE
WORLD IN GENERAL.IN ORDER TO AVERT THIS CRUDE AND NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT,SOME
OF MY TRUSTED COLLEAGUES AND I NOW SEEK YOUR PERMISSION TO HAVE YOU STAND AS
THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO LATE ENGR. JEFFREY LANDERCASPER, SO THAT THE FUND US$10M
WOULD BE RELEASED AND PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE BENEFICIARY'S NEXT-OF
-KIN.ALL DOCUMENTSAND PROVES TO ENABLE YOU RECIEVE THIS FUND WILL BE
CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AND MORESO AS PROFESSIONAL BANKERS, WE ARE ASSURING YOU
OF 100% RISK-FREE INVOLVEMENT.

YOUR SHARE STAYS WHILE THE REST WILL BE FOR MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR
INVESTMENT PURPOSES IN YOUR COUNTRY.


IF THIS PROPOSAL IS ALRIGHT BY YOU,THEN KINDLY GET TO ME IMMEDIATELY BUT IF
NOT PLEASE DELETE FROM YOUR MAIL

THANK YOU IN ANTICIPATON OF YOUR CO-OPERATION



YOURS FAITHFULLY,

WILLIAMS M.OBI


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