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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: MICHEAL HILL <micheal_hill2005@yahoo.ca>
Reply-To: m_hill64@mail.vu
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 23:32:05 -0800
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL


Dear Partner,

In my quest to discover and properly scrutinize record of digits in my computer system, as an experienced Diplomat, I got this to tell you. I discovered a dormant Deposited consignment worth (US$12,000,000.00) Twelve Million U.S. Dollars, in our company.
With due respect, I would like to disclose a mutual transaction with you.

I am Micheal Hill, Manager Logistics, the INTERNAITONAL DIPLOMATIC CARGO COMPANY, based in Dubai-UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. We have a consignment valued USD12Million in our custody.

This consignment was deposited since 1999 and nobody has operated on the Account. Now in our computer system it records that the beneficiary of the deposited consignment, Mr. Jean-Marie Leveque is dead of Plane on June 12, 2000. He was a foreigner and the manager of the Petrol Chemical Service, and also Chemical Engineer by profession. Until date we have not receive any signal from his relatives for claim of the deposited consignment.
Moreso, this deposited consignment will be forfeited if not claimed and only a foreigner can effect claim of it. Secondly, no local bank here will be allowed to have this money, so it can only be claimed with foreign account owing to the fact that the former owner was a foreigner too and the money is in US dollars. So let this not be a surprise, I am contacting you on trust and because you are a foreigner as well.
In fact, I want us to claim this money into a foreign account or any account of your choice. When the transfer is approved and payment schedule is allotted overseas, through the offshore paying delegate for final clearance and signing of the payment Release Form by the beneficiary; I would want us to see at the overseas payment clearance office or during the signing of the Original Binding Agreement, which binds us together and will also enables us receive this money into foreign account. This transaction will be 100% risk free and in accordance with the Law.
Our company is ready to approve release of the deposited consignment to any foreigner who has the correct information to this Account, which I will give to you. When I am sure of your capability to handle this deposited funds in strict confidence and trust, according to the instructions and advise for our mutual benefit. Because I wouldn't want to make mistakes. So your assurance and trust is very important in this regard. I shall destroy immediately documents concerning this transaction after we must have received this money, thereby leaving no trace.
With my position in the company, there will be no hindrance in legal approvals and onward release of the deposited funds to your account with appropriate clearance from foreign payment department, with assurance that this money will be intact pending my arrival abroad to take my share.
Conclusively, you will be given 25% of the total amount, 70% will be for me, while 5% will be for expenses both parties must have incurred during the process of this transaction.
I look forward to your swift response.
Best regards,
Micheal HILL

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