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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: "Prince fayad bolkiah" <prince_mfb22@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: prince_musabolkiah@yahoo.ie
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 07:16:48 -0800
Subject: Please I count on your absolute confidentiality

Dear Friend,

I am Prince Fayad Musa H. Bolkiah, the eldest son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah,
former Finance Minister of Brunei, the tiny oil-rich sultanate on the Gulf
Island of Borneo.

I will save your time by not amplifying my extended royal family history,
which has already been disseminated by the international media during the
controversial dispute that erupted between my father and his stepbrother,
the sultan of Brunei Sheik Muda Hassanal Bolkiah. As you may know from the
international media, the sultan had accused my father of financial
mismanagement and impropriety of US$14.8 billion dollars.

This was as a result of the Asian financial crisis that made my fathers
company Amedeo Development Company and government owned Brunei Investment
Company to be declared bankrupt during his tenure in office. However my
father was kept under house arrest, his bank accounts and private properties
including a crude oil export refinery were later confiscated by the
sultanate. Furthermore during this unfortunate period, I was advised to
evacuate my immediate family outside the sultanate to avoid further
prosecution from the sultan and his security operatives, but before I could
do that I was placed under house arrest after a little gun fight by the
Sultans security men and I had no access to phone, but I have a laptop from
which I am sending you this mail. Some of the guards here are still loyal to
me.

Before my Incaseration, I went ahead to dispatch the sum of Four hundred and
twenty Million United States Dollars (US$420,000,000.00) in cash with the
assistance of a foreign diplomat who now resides in Europe.

The money has now been deposited as valuables into different private
security and trust company for safe keeping abroad. The money was split and
kept in the following countries in this proportion: US$50 Million is in
London, US$160 Million is in china, US$40 Million is in Thailand, US $170
Million in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Please if you know you can assist in claiming and investing it in real
estate/property to guarantee the future survival of my family, contact me
fast so that I'll give you contact information of the security company in
Europe and other parts of the world where the funds are deposited. For your
assistance i will compensate you with 25% of the total sum and another 5%
shall be set aside to defray any expenses that may arise.

Please I count on your absolute confidentiality, transparency and trust
while looking forward to your prompt response towards a swift conclusion of
this business transaction through my email address as follows:
[prince_musabolkiah@yahoo.ie]:

Thanks & May Allah's blessing remain with you.

I remain yours sincerely,

Prince Fayad Musa H. Bolkiah

_________________________________________________________________
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