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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: "FROM DR. TARILA THOMPSON." <tarrila001@katamail.com> (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 22:27:36 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS URGENT.

DR. TARILA THOMPSON
DIRECTOR: TREASURY AND EXCHANGE.
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
DAKAR-SENEGAL

FIRST, I MUSTSOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THESE TRANSACTION. I AM DR. TARILA THOMPSON, THE DIRECTOR OF TREASURY AND BILL EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT IN THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE WHERE I WORK.

MYSELF AND THREE OTHER COLLEAGUES IN THIS DEPARTMENT ARE CURRENTLY IN NEED OF A FOREIGN PARTNER WHO WILL PRESENT A DESIGNATED SAFE FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHERE WE CAN TRANSFER INTO THE SUM OF TWENTY THREE MILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ( 23,700.000.00 ). THIS FUND ACCRUED LEGITIMATELY TO US AS COMMISSION FROM FOREIGN CONTRACTS, THROUGH OUR PRIVATE CONNECTIONS .THE FUND IS PRESENTLY WAITING TO BE REMITTED BY THE APEX BANK TO ANY FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT PRESENTED BY US FOR THIS TRANSFER IN THE OF THE RECEIVER OF THE FUND.

HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR POSITIONS AS CIVIL SERVANTS IN OUR COUNTRY, WE CANNOT ACQUIRE THIS MONEY IN OUR NAMES, BECAUSE AS HIGH PLACED CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE CODE OF CONDUCT TO OWN OR OPERATE FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNTS OUTSIDE OUR SHORES. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS NOT SAFE FOR US TO KEEP THE MONEY HERE DUE TO OUR UNSTABLE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.

I HAVE BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY COLLEAGES, TO LOOK FOR A HONEST FOREIGN PARTNER IN WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WILL TRANSFER THE SUM OF $23,700,000.00 US DOLLARS FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT AND FURTHER INVESTMENT PROJECTS IN YOUR COUNTRY.

ON SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN SHARE OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION. WE HAVE AGREED THAT 30 % OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS OUR FOREIGN PARTNER, IN RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT FOR THE TRANSFER, 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE TRANSFER PROCESS AND 65% WOULD BE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUE. THERE AFTER I AND MY COLLEAGUE WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGES INDICATED, HENCE THE REASON FOR REQUESTING YOUR SINCERE CO-OPERATION INWORKING TOGETHER AS PARTNERS AND RECEIVE THE FUNDS IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT WITH TOTAL TRUST.

PLEASE, YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO KEEP THIS INFORMATION A TOP SECRET AS WE ARE STILL IN THE SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE CIVIL SERVICE AFTER WE CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH YOU. I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THIS MINISTRY UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK US TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGES WE SHALL AGREE UPON.

ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU ON YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO CHAMPION THIS TRANSACTION WITH US. I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL STATING YOUR WISH IN THIS DEAL. (tathomp01@myway.com)

THANKS AND BEST REGARDS.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR. TARILA THOMPSON






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