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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 about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Suha Arafat" <suhara003@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: suhara003@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:27:31 +0000
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME

Dear Friend,

I am Mrs. SUHA ARAFAT, the wife of YASSER ARAFAT, the Palestinian leader who
died recently in Paris. Since his death and even prior to the announcement,
I have been thrown into a state of antagonism,
confusion,humiliation,frustration and hopelessness by the present leadership
of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the new Prime Minister. I
have even been subjected to physical and psychological torture.


As a widow that is so traumatized, I have lost
confidence with everybody in the country at the
moment. You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the
discovery of some fund in my husband secret bank account and companies and
the allegations of some huge sums of money deposited by my husband in my
name of which I have refuses to disclose or give up to the corrupt Palestine
Government.

In fact the total sum allegedly discovered by the
Government so far is in the tune of about $6.5 Billion Dollars. And they are
not relenting on their effort to make me poor for life. As you know, the
Muslim community has no regards for woman, more importantly when the woman
is from a christian background, hence my desire for a foreign assistance.

I have deposited the sum of 22.5 million dollars with a Financial firm in
Europe whose name is withheld for now until we open communication.
I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund into your bank account
for safe keeping and any Investment opportunity. This arrangement will be
known to you and I alone and all our correspondence should be strictly on
email alone because our government has tapped all my lines and are
monitoring all my moves.

In view of the above, if you are willing to assist for our mutual benefits,
we will have to negotiate on your Percentage share of the $22.5,000,000 that
will be kept in your position for a while and invested in your name for my
trust pending when my Daughter, Zahwa, will come off age and take full
responsibility of her Family Estate/inheritance.

Please note that this is a golden opportunity that
comes once in life time and more so, if you are
honest, I am going to entrust more funds in your care as this is one of the
legacy we keep for our children.

In case you don't accept please do not let me out to the security and
international media as I am giving you this information in total trust and
confidence I will greatly appreciate if you accept my proposal in good
faith.

Please expedite action.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Suha Arafat


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