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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: "adamu_attah" <adamu_attah@terra.com.mx>
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2006 23:26:24 -0600
Subject: TREAT AS URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL.


FROM, THE DESK OF MR.ADAMU ATTAH
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK,
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO.

Dear Friend,

I am the manager bill and exchange of the foreign remittance department, African Development Bank Burkina, I am trusting this transaction to you, that you will handle it with sincerity and without any problems. In my department file, I discovered an abandoned sum of US $15.5m(Fifteen million, five hundred thousand US Dollars) in an account, belonging to one of our bank’s foreign customer who died along with his family in a plane crash. Since I got information about his death, I have done a lot of investigations and verifications to confirm if anyone such as a next of kin or relative of the deceased has called to claim the inheritance fund. These is because, the bank cannot release it to anyone, unless somebody applies for the fund as next of kin or relative to the deceased as it is indicated in our banking laws and guidelines. Fortunately, if I should say, I have fully confirmed that, no one has come up to claim the fund and I have spent a lot of money into getting this vital information’s and classified details secretly, about the deceased customer and the said inheritance fund. It is therefore upon this discovery that I have decided to make this Business proposal to you as a foreigner, for you to assist and stand as the next of kin or a relation(best convenient for you), to the deceased person and subsequent disbursement will be made into your designated account, since nobody is coming to claim the inheritance fund and this money must not go into the bank’s treasury as unclaimed bill, the banking law and guideline of “ARTICLE A section ABD/O11 of 1991, stipulates that, if such account is found dormant for the banking period ofeight (8)years, such fund will be
automatically transferred and deposited in the bank’s treasury as Unclaimed
fund.

The request of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occasioned by the fact that, the customer is a foreigner, a Burkinabe, cannot stand as a next of kin to a foreigner’s assets, unless there must be a link. It is more convincing when a foreigner stands in. Also, considering the demands of the bank, and my inability to cope with the fees to process the account and
activate the fund for further access to the account. I arrange that 30% of this money will be for you as my foreign partner in respect to applying to the bank as the next of kin. 10% will be set aside for expenses incurred during the transaction, handled by you courteously and highly secretive and 60% will be for me, in the sense that, I will visit your country for residing and investment purposes for a brighter and prosperous future. Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer and crediting of your account with this fund, you have to apply first to the bank as relative or next of kin to the deceased customer. Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you by fax or e-mail a suitable text of the application letter. I will not also, fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is hitch free and you do not need to entertain any fear as all possible loop-holes from where there might be a problem, has been taken care of, I believe, by t

The Merciful Grace of God.

You should contact me immediately you receive my letter through my telephone or e-mail. Waiting on your assistance.

Yours faithfully,
MR.ADAMU ATTAH

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