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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: "Ahmed Rufus .S." <rufus_ecowasghana@yahoo.ca> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2006 06:07:56 +0000
Subject: REGARDS

I am a senior member of the Contract Awarding Committee of the ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS). We are in search of an agent who will assist me in the transfer of USD 25.5, 000,000.00 (twenty five million five hundred thousand United States Dollars only.) and subsequent investment of same in lucrative ventures in your country.

This fund was a residue of the over invoiced contract bills awarded by us intentionally for the supply of hard/soft wares, pharmaceuticals/ medical items, light and heavy duty vehicles, apparels and other administrative/logistics for the ECOMOG in Sierra-Leone and Liberia during the Peace Keeping Projects

You will be required to.
1) Assist in the transfer of the said sum
2) Advise on lucrative area(s) of investment, and
3) Assist in the management of same investments. Could you be kind enough to render your services to us in this regard, you shall be rewarded with 25% of the total sum stated above while 10% will be used to defray any incidental charges and cost during the course of the transaction
Kindly indicate your interested by sending an email to me so that I can give you the modalities.

Yours Sincerely,
Ahmed Rufus .S.
Alternative Email: rufus.gh@zipmail.com.br


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