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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: DECON MAZIAM <mazzcon4@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 20:47:36 +0100 (BST)
Subject: ATTN.....................


FROM MR MAZZIAM DECON
AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS UNIT DEPT
BTCI BANK LOME-TOGO

DEAR TRUSTEE,

I HAVE THE HONOUR OF INTRODUCING MYSELF, I AM MR KOSSI DECON,THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS UNIT DEPT.OF BANQUE TOGOLAISE DU COMMERCE ET INDUSTRIE [ BTCI] BANK TOGO LOME-TOGO IN WEST AFRICA.I GOT YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,AND THEREFORE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU FOR A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND 100% RISK FREE BUSINESS TRANSACTION.

DURING OUR AUDITING AND INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS BANK,MY DEPARTMENT CAME ACROSS THE SUM U.S.$30,000,000.(THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS).BELONGING TO A FOREIGN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSMAN WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS FAMILY IN PLANE-CRASH CRASH AT KENYE EAEST AFRICA,

PLEASE I WANT YOU TO VIST THE WEBSITE; BELLOW FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PROOF ABOUT THE PLANE CRASH AND THE DECEASED PERSON DR. GEORGE W. BRUMLEY AND HIS FAMILY:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/07/20/kenya.crash/index.html

BEFORE OUR DISCOVERY OF THIS DEVELOPMENT,THERE WAS NO TRACE OF CLAIM FROM ANY PERSON AS THE FUND REMAINS DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK. SINCE THIS TRANSACTION FALLS ENTIRELY WITHIN MY PORTFOLIO,I KEPT THIS INFORMATION SECRET TO ENABLE ME ARRANGE FOR A TRUSTWORTHY FRIEND WHO CAN CLAIM AND TRANSFER THE SAID AMOUNT OVERSEAS.

THIS PERSON WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE BANK AS THE BONAFIDE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED.THIS TRANSACTION PROMISES TO BE PROFITABLE AT THE END OF THIS DEAL.MEANWHILE ALL THE ARRANGEMENT TO PUT UP CLAIMS AS THE BONAFIDE NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE DECEASED IN ORDER TO GET THE REQUIRED APPROVAL AND TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE.

THE DIRECTIVES AND THE NEEDED INFORMATION WILL BE RELAYED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO BENEFIT FROM THIS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

AS A MATTER OF FACT I COULD HAVE CARRIED OUT THIS DEAL ALONE, BEING STAFF OF THE BANK, WE ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNTS, IT WOULD THEREFORE LOOK SUSPICIOUS IF WE AS THE STAFF OF THE BANK COME FORWARD TO CLAIM THE MONEY DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFERING THE FUND.

THESE ARE THE ACTUAL REASONS WHY THIS OPERATION REQUIRES A SECOND PARTY WHO WILL FORWARD APPLICATION OF CLAIMS TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THE MONEY ON HIS/HER REQUEST WILL BE TRANSFERED INTO.

ON CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION,YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 45% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION. 5% OF THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE USED TO REIMBURSE EXPENSES THAT MIGHT ARISE DURING THE COURSE OF THE TRANSACTION,WHILE 50% WILL BE FOR ME, YOU ARE ADVICED TO KEEP THIS WHOLE TRANSACTION TOP SECRET AS I AM STILL IN SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE AFTER I CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH YOU.

I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION IN THE BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT.I WILL THEN COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO THE TERMS PREVIOUSLY INDICATED

AS MY FOREIGN PARTNER,I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD US OFFER USEFUL INVESTMENT ADVICE IN ANY COUNTRY OF YOUR CHOICE. ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU

I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,INDICATING YOUR INTEREST TO CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH ME.

BEST REGARDS,

MR MAZZIAM DECON





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