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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "From Mr.Abraham George." <abraham_george1073@yahoo.fr> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 15:07:41 +0200
Subject: From Mr.Abraham George.

I have a new email address!
You can now email me at /:abraham_george_107@hotmail.fr
From Mr.Abraham George.

Dearest,

I am Mr.Abraham George., The Assistant manager, Bills and Exchange at the Foreign Remittance Department of one of the leading banks in West Africa.Which will be disclosed to you on your acceptance to assist me.However I am writing these letter to ask for your support and cooperation to carry out this transaction opportunity in my department.
We discovered an abandoned sum of $12,500,000.00 (Twelve million five hundred thousand United States Dollars only) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family of a wife and a daughter in
October 31,1999. On a plane crash of October 31,1999[With Egyptian airline 990]with other passengers.Please confirm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm
Late Mr.William Barnes worked with Oil Services & Petrochemical Exchange
(OPE) Limited,West Africa a Petroleum Company in collaboration with Chevron
Canada.
Since we heard of his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to apply and put claims for his money as the heir, because we cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next of kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.Unfortunately, neither their family member nor distant relative has ever appeared to claim the said fund.Upon this discovery, I and other officials in my department have agreed to make business with you and release the total amount into your account as the heir of the fund since no one came for it or discovered the maintained account with our bank, otherwise the fund will be returned to the banks treasury as unclaimed fund. We have agreed that our ratio of sharing will be as stated thus;30% for you as foreign partner,20% for the establishment of charity organization for the less previlaged and 50% for us the officials in my department.

MY REASON FOR DOING THIS TRANSACTION:
Then upon the successful completion of this transfer,I and one of my colleagues will come to your country and mind our share. It is from our 70% we intend to establish charity organization in our country as a way to help the handicapped and less previlaged. To commence this transaction, we require you to immediately indicateyour interest by providing the below informations/:

1.Your full name
2.Your personal telephone/fax number
3.Your country of orgin and residence
4.Your age and
5.Your Professionto enable us send you a claim application form which you have to fill and send to the bank as the next of kin for necessary approvals before the transfer can be made.

ASSURANCE:

Personally I have every documents that will enable us put the claim forward and inherit the fund nevertheless this transaction is legal.Moreso my bank will effect the payment to any one who will apply for the claim to the depositor as long as the person has the required documents and information regarding this fund.I have all the required information and documents in my possession which I will send to you when required by the bank.Please I would appreciate if you will keep it away from the knowledge of the bank that I am providing you with the required information.

NOTE:
This transaction must be kept STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL because of its nature.

I look forward to receiving your prompt response to enable us proceed.

Yours sincerely,

Mr.Abraham George



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