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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: "URGENT ASSISTANCE" <musakabir@web2mail.com>
Date: Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:36:31 +1200
Subject: A CRY FOR HELP

Dear Friend,

Assalamu Alaikum, My name is Musa Kabir , a business man in Iran. I have
been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. It has defiled all forms of medical
treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according
to medical experts.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for
anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never
generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as
that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know
that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money
in the world.

I believe when Allah gives me a second chance to come to this world I would
live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that Allah has
called me, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my
immediate and extended family members as well as few close friends.

I want Allah to be merciful to me and accept my soul, I have decided to
give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last
good deeds I will do on earth. I need help from a reliable and honest person
I can trust in the name of Allah the merciful. Considering my present
predicament and the political situation in Iran, I now seek your assistance
to help me clear Twenty-Five million US-Dollars (US$25,000,000.00) that I
have with a recognize bank in Europe and I will want you to help me collect
this deposited fund and dispatched it to charity organizations as I will
instruct you to do.

I don’t need any telephone communication in this regards because of my
health and some of my relatives around me. I don’t want them to know about
this new development and with Allah the merciful, all things are possible.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of my lawyer in
Europe and I will also issue you a letter of recognition through my lawyer
that will prove you as the next of kin to this fund base on my instructions.
I want you to always pray for me and I have set aside 18% for you for your
time. Please send a reply through my below email address with your full
contact information for more private and confidential communication and note
that any delay in your reply will give me room in searching for another
person for this same purpose because you are the only person I have
contacted for now. Please, inform me that you will act according to what I
told you.

May great Allah be with you.

Mr. Musa Kabir,
Tehran, Iran.
Email:musakabir@myway.com
:musakabir2@myway.com


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