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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: "STEVE AMZAH" <steve_gambia101@yahoo.dk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: amzahconsulting@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2006 21:14:16 +0100
Subject: Your Future and Ours

DEAR SIR/MA,

REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

I AM A HIGH PLACED OFFICIAL WORKING WITH THE MINISTRY, HERE IN BANJUL,
GAMBIA, WEST AFRICA. MY DEPARTMENT (THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT) RUNS INTO
SEVERAL THOUSAND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MONTHLY.

MYSELF AND TWO OTHER COLLEAGUES IN THIS DEPARTMENT ARE CURRENTLY IN
NEEED OF A SILENT FOREIGN PARTNER WHOSE BANK ACCOUNT WE CAN USE TO
TRANSFER THE SUM OF EIGHTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S.DOLLARS
(US$18,500,000.00) FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE. THE MONEY WAS EARNED
LEGITIMATELY ALBEIT PRIVATELY BY US DURING THE TIME (A PERIOD SPANNING SEVEN
YEARS) WE WORKED TOGETHER AT THE SIERRA LEONE DIMOND MINING CORPORATION.
TWO OF MY PARTNERS ARE FROM SIERRA LEONE, BUT OWING TO THE CIVIL WAR IN
THAT COUNTRY THEY ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN MY OWN COUNTRY, THE GAMBIA.

I PLEAD WITH YOU ON ONE ISSUE, WHETHER YOU ARE INTERESTED OR NOT,
KINDLY DO NOT EXPOSE THIS INFORMATION TO ANY ONE ELSE. I CONFIRM THAT
THE TRANSACTION IS LEGITIMATE AND WITHOUT ANY RISKS EITHER TO OURSELVES
OR YOURSELF.

PLEASE, GIVE ME YOUR RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY BY RETURN MAIL , WHILE
KEEPING EVERYTHING CONFIDENTIAL.

YOURS FAITHFULLY

STEVE AMZAH





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