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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: "Barry Bello" <barrybello700@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: barrybello@mail.md
Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:36:31 +0100
Subject: READ DETAILS AND GET BACK TO ME.

DEAR FRIEND,
CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL.
IT IS MY WARMEST PLEASURE WRITING YOU THIS CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS LETTER
A VIEW YOU WILL ACCEPT MY REQUEST AND GIVE ME
POSITIVE RESPONSE. HENCE TIME IS ESSENCE.
I AM DR.BARRY BELLO,THE FINANCE DIRECTOR OF (INEC) MEANING INDEPENDENT
NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION. THIS ORGANISATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CONDUCT OF ALL ELECTIONS RECENTLY HELD IN MY COUNTRY NIGERIA.
HOWEVER, THE LAST MILITARY GOVERNMENT OF NIGEIRA GAVE MY ORGANISATION
US$1 BILLION (ONE BILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS) TO CONDCUT ALL THE
ELECTIONS BEGINNING FROM LOCAL GOVENRMENT
ELECTIONS, STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, GOVERNORSHIP, SENATE,
FEDERAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
CONSEQUENTLY, ALL THE VARIOUS STAGES OF ELECTIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN
CONDUCTED INCLUDING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FROM THE FUNDS
DISBURSED TO US BY THE GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT THESE ELECTIONS, WE
UTILISED US$800 MILLION IN CONDUCTING THE ELECTIONS
INDICATED.
HAVING CONCLUDED THE VARIOUS STAGES OF ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTED
CIVILIAN OFFICERS INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT SWORN IN, ABOUT
US$200 MILLION IS LEFT IN OUR TREASURY ACCOUNT AND AS THE CHIEF
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR OF INEC, I HAD GIVEN A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS TO THE
GOVERNMENT PRIOR TO HANDING OVR THE ADMINISTRATION TO THE SUCCESSFUL
IN-COMING PRESIDENT IN VIEW OF THIS, IN CONFIDENCE REQUIRE YOUR
ASSISTANCE TO ASSIST ME AND ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES BY ALLOWING US TO
TRANSFER US$30 MILLION (THIRTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) TO YOUR
CORPORATE
OR PERSONAL ACCOUNT PENDING WHEN WE WILL PROCEED TO YOUR
COUNTRY IN ORDER TO MEET YOU AND DISBURSE ACCORDINGLY. AS A MATTER OF
FACT, I HAVE DECLARED TO THE AUTHORITIES HERE THAT US$170 MILLION IS
REMAINING WHILE US$30 MILLION WILL BE SECRETLY TRANSFERRED OUT TO
OVERSEAS ACCOUNT, HENCE,NOBODY IS AWARE OF THIS ARRANGEMENT EXCEPT MY
VERY SELF AND MY PARTNER.
NOTE THIS TRANSACTION IS TOP CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE I AM STILL IN SERVICE AND
I WOULDN'T LIKE THIS INFORMATION TO BE HEARD ANYWHERE.
FOR ASSISTING US IN THIS PROJECT, WE ARE READY TO GIVE YOU 30% OF THE
SUM TOTAL WHILE THE REMAINING 70% IS MEANT FOR THE OFFICIALS HERE.
ARRANGEMENT TOWARDS THIS FUND TRANSFER HAS BEEN WORKED OUT
AND ONCE I RECEIVE. YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE. WE ARE SURE OF CONCLUDING
THIS DEAL WITHIN ONE WEEK. AND AFTER THAT, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERED INTO
YOUR BANK ACCOUNT BY TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER THROUGH THE CENTRAL
BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY ASSURED THAT THERE IS NO
RISK INVOLVED IN YOUR PARTICIPATION AND THE TRANSACTION WILL REMAIN TOP
SECRET UNTIL THE OPERATION IS CONCLUDED.
FURTHER DETAILS WILLBE CONVEYED TO YOU ONCE I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY
THROUGH MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS(barrybello@mail.md) AND I WILL
BRIEF YOU ON WHAT IS REQUIRED TO EXECUTED THE TRANSACTION SUCCESSFULLY
AWAITING YOUR SWIFT AND FAVOURABLE RESPONSE.
CONTACT ME WITH MY PRIVATE BOX:barrybello@mail.md
REGARDS .
DR.BARRY BELLO


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