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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: erkmadu@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:22:38 -0500
Subject: URGENT GREETING



URGENT GREETING
FROM THE DESK OF:
ERIK MADU
ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT
UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC
MARINA- BRANCH, LAGOS.
TO: THE MANAGING
DIRECTOR/CEO


DEAR SIR,


RE:TRANSFER OF THE SUM OF US$5.5M DOLLARS INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, FIRST,I
MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION.THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF
IT'S NATURE AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET.THOUGH I KNOW
THAT A TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL MAKE ANYONE APPREHENSIVE AND
WORRIED.


BUT I AM ASSURING YOU THAT ALL WILL BE WELL AT THE END OF THE DAY. WE
HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU THROUGH THIS MEDIUM DUE TO THE URGENCY OF
THIS TRANSACTION AS WE HAVE BEEN RELIABLY INFORMED OF YOUR
DISCRETENESS AND ABILITY.


LET ME START BY INTRODUCING MYSELF TO YOU. I AM ERIK MADU, A SENIOR
ACCOUNTANT WITH THE UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC. MARINA BRANCH OFFICE
LAGOS.I CAME TO KNOW ABOUT YOU IN MY PRIVATE SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE AND
REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLETHIS CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION AS WE ARE
STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE. THE PROPOSITION. AN AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL,LATE
ENGINEER BUTCH R. MIGUEL,AN OIL MERCHANT/CONTRACTOR WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, UNTIL HIS DEATH THREE YEARS AGO IN A GHASTY AIR
CRASH IN AN EGYPTIAN AIRLINE,BANKED WITH US HERE AT UNION BANK OF
NIGERIA PLC. MARINA BRANCH LAGOS,AND HAD A CLOSSING BALANCE OF US$5.5M
(FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS)WHICH THE
BANK UNQUESTIONABLY EXPECTS IT TO BE CLAIMED BY ANY AVAILABLE FOREIGN
NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE LATE BENEFICIARY OR ALTERNATIVELY BE DONATED TO A
DISCREDITED TRUST FUND FOR THE PURCHASE OF ARMS AND AMMUNITIONS AT THE
MILITARY WAR COLLEGE IN KADUNA STATE HERE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA.
 

SEQUEL TO THIS,FERVENT VALUABLE EFFORTS WERE MADE BY UNION BANK PLC.TO
GET IN TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE MIGUEL'S FAMILY OR RELATIVES BUT PROVED
TO NO AVAIL.IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED POSIBILITY OF NOT BEING
ABLE TO LOCATE ANY OF THE LATE ENGR.BUTCH R.MIGUEL'S [NEXT-OF-KIN] HE
HAS NO NO WIFE NOR CHILDREN) THAT THE MANAGEMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE
OF OUR HONOURABLE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS,(Retired)MAJOR-GENERAL KALU UKE KALU THAT AN ARRANGEMENT BE
MADE FOR THE FUND TO BE DECLARED UN-CLAIMABLE" AND SUBSIQUENTLY BE
DONATED TO THE TRUST FUND FOR THE PURCHASE OF ARMS AND AMMUNITON TO
FURTHER ENHANCE THE COURSE OF WAR IN AFRICA AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL.


IN ORDER TO AVERT THIS CRUDE AND NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT,SOME OF MY
TRUSTED COLLEAGUES AND I NOW SEEK YOUR PERMISSION TO HAVE YOU STAND AS
THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO LATE ENGR. BUTCH R.MIGUEL, SO THAT THE FUND US$5.5M
WOULD BE RELEASED AND PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE BENEFICIARY'S
NEXT-OF-KIN. ALL DOCUMENTSAND PROVES TOENABLE YOU RECIEVE THIS
FUNDWILL BE CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AND MORESO AS PROFESSIONAL BANKERS,
WE ARE ASSURING YOU OF 100% RISK-FREE INVOLVEMENT.
YOUR SHARE STAYS WHILE THE REST WILL BE FOR MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES
FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSESIN YOUR COUNTRY.IF THIS PROPOSAL IS ALRIGHT BY
YOU,THEN KINDLY GET TO ME IMMEDIATELY.
THANK YOU IN ANTICIPATON OF YOUR CO-OPERATION.


YOURS FAITHFULLY,


ERIK MADU

(Senior Accountant)
UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC.
MARINA BRANCH
LAGOS.

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