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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: "Rahman Opala." <rahpala11@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: rahpala_1@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 22:47:52 +0200
Subject: LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU,

HELLO DEAR,
COMPLIMENT OF THE SEASON,
PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. I GOT YOUR CONTACT THROUGH MY CAREFUL SEARCH FOR TRUST
WORTHY ASSISTANCE IN THE NET.

I PRAYED OVER IT AND SELECTED YOUR NAME AMONG OTHER (3) NAMES I GOT
ALSO DUE TO IT'S ESTEEMING NATURE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO ME AS A
REPUTABLE AND TRUST WORTHY PERSON I CAN DO BUSINESS WITH AND BY THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS I MUST NOT HESITATE TO CONFIDE IN YOU FOR THIS SIMPLE
AND SINCERE BUSINESS.
I AM RAHMAN OPALA THE ONLY CHILD OF LATE CHIEF AND MRS UMAR OPALA,
MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN SENEGAL, BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS
BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS ON A BUSINESS DEAL.
WHEN MY MOTHER DIED ON THE 21ST OCTOBER 1990, MY FATHER TOOK ME SO
SPECIAL BECAUSE I AM MOTHERLESS.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 24TH JUNE 2005 IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL
HERE IN DAKAR. HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT
HE HAS A SUM OF US$8,500,000 (EIGHT MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) DEPOSITED IN FINANCE FIRM COMPANY HERE IN DAKAR SENEGAL, THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY SON FOR THE NEXT OF
KIN IN DEPOSIT OF THE FUNDS.

HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS
POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN
PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS
MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE, (SUCH AS REAL ESTATE
MANAGEMENT).
I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1)TO PROVID WHERE THE MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED.

2) TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUNDS IN YOUR COUNTRY.

3) TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY TO FURTHER
MY EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR ME IN YOUR COUNTRY.

FURTHERMORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING ME, AS I
BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SOME DAYS
YOU SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST ME AND ENDEAVOUR TO FURNISH ME WITH YOUR
TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS,HOPING HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST.
IN GOD WE TRUST.

YOURS SINCERELY,
RAHMAN OPALA,



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