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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: "David Smith" <david_smith305@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 21:22:53 +0000
Subject: Transfer Assistance( Highly Confidential)

FROM : DR DAVID SMITH
MANAGING DIRECTOR, CITI GROUP ABIDJAN
01 BP ABIDJAN 01.
REPUBLIC DE COTE D`IVOIRE
TELEPHONE +225 0788 4580
FAX +225 0788 4581
EMAIL ADDRESS; davidsmith360@yahoo.fr or Dr_Davidsmith@financemail.net

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOU. I GOT YOUR NAME AND CONTACT FROM THE IVOIRIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
AND INDUSTRY. I PRAYED OVER IT AND SELECTED YOUR NAME AMONG OTHER NAMES DUE
TO IT'S ESTEEMING NATURE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO ME AS A REPUTABLE
AND TRUST WORTHY PERSON I CAN DO BUSINESS WITH AND BY THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS
I MUST NOT HESITATE TO CONFIDE IN YOU FOR THIS SIMPLE AND SINCERE BUSINESS.

I AM DR DAVID SMITH, THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CITI BANK ABIDJAN. I WOULD
LIKE YOU TO ASSIST ME IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF 1.5 MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR INVESTMENT. THIS FUND WAS DEPOSITED IN MY BANK
BY A LATE CUSTOMER, MR PHILIPS BANKS, WHO DIED IN AN AVIATION CRASH FEW
MONTHS AGO. ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION WE HAVE IN OUR DATABASE, HE HAS NO
NEXT OF KIN TO THIS INHERITANCE.

SIR, IAM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.

1) TO STAND AS THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS FUND( SINCE THE BANK IS OFFICIALLY
UNAWARE OF HIS DEMISE).

2) TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERED TO FOR
INVESTMENT IN YOUR COUNTRY.

I AM DUE FOR RETIREMENT IN A FEW MONTHS TIME. I INTEND TO RELOCATE TO YOUR
COUNTRY WITH MY FAMILY IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY RETIREMENT. THIS MAY WELL SERVE
AS A RETIREMENT BENEFIT TOP BOTH OF US.

MOREOVER, SIR, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS
COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS
FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEA.

FURTHERMORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE
THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN (7) DAYS YOU SIGNIFY
INTEREST TO ASSIST ME. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS;
Dr_Davidsmith@financemail.net or davidsmith360@yahoo.fr


YOURS SINCERELY,
DR DAVID SMITH( MANAGING DIRECTOR)
CITI BANK, ABIDJAN.

_________________________________________________________________
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