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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: abiola andrew <abiolaandrew1@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 14:09:13 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Attention: Business investor and Partner for Acquisition of Estates Urgently Needed.


Dear sir/Madam,
ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FOR ACQUISITION OF ESTATES.
I write to inform you of my desire to acquire estates or landed properties in your country on behalf of the Director of Contracts and Finance Allocation of the Federal Ministry of works and Housing in Nigeria. Considering his very strategic and influential position, he would want the transaction to be strictly as confidential as possible. He further want his identity to remain undisclosed at least for now, until the completion of the transaction. Hence our desire to have an overseas agent. I have therefore been directed to inquire if you would agree to act as our overseas agent in order to actualise this transaction. The deal in brief is that the funds with which to carry out our proposed investments in your country is presently in a coded account in the Nigerian apex bank and we need your assistance to transfer the funds to your country or any safe account outside your country in a convenient bank account that will be provided by you before we can put the funds into use.
For this you shall be considered to have executed a contract for the ministry.
The contract sum of which shall run into US$10.5Million of which your share shall be 25% if you agree to be our overseas agent. Your area of specialisation does not matter in this transaction, all that is required of you is a safe account and your willingness to assist us acquire estates in your country. As soon as payment is effected and the amount mentioned above is successfully transferred into your account, we intend to use our own share in acquiring some estates abroad. For this too, you shall serve as our agent . It might interest you to note that last year, a similar transaction was carried out with one MR. CHIENCHEN YU of Taiwan but after securing the payment approvals, and payment effected, MR.CHIENCHEN YU changed his numbers and addresses, and was no where to be found on our getting to Taiwan. That was how we lost US$17.5Million.
So this time around , I will be with you before the remmittance is made into your provided account to avoid future occurrence and allow trust to play a very minimal role until performance is seen. You are requested to communicate your acceptance or otherwise of this proposal,after which we shall discuss in details the modalities for seeing this transaction through. If however, you are not disposed to assist, kindly destroy this letter in view of the confidentiality of the proposed transaction and interest of personalities involved. Thank you in anticipation of your co-operation.
Best Regard,
Dr.Abiola Andrew.
Tel: 234 8023346978.



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