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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: "Mr Fawzi Ameen" <mrfawziam40@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: mrfawziameen006@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:08:32 +0000
Subject: Awaiting your urgent response.

Good Day,

My name is Mr. Fawzi Ameen, a banker here in U. A.E. I write you this
proposal in good faith as a brother.In 2002 a Crude Oil dealer Late Mr.
Barid Emad, made a (Fixed deposit) for 36 calendar months, valued at
US$17,500,000.00 (Seventeen Million, Five hundred Thousand US Dollars) with
my bank. I was his account officer before I rose to the position of manager.

The maturity date for this deposit contract was 20th of August 2005. I have
tried my possible best to locate Mr. Emad to notify him about this, but all
my efforts proved abortive. I later discovered that Mr. Emad, his wife and
only daughter were among the victims of bomb blast during the war in iraq.
Unfortunately, he has no other living relatives to inherit this fund.

Now, a new Financial Law, which takes effect in two month’s time, stipulates
that any bank account more than $5,000,000.00 [Five Million US Dollars] will
be investigated and the bank shall produce the account owner for clearance.
This is a Government measure to check money laundering.If I do not find a
way to move this money out of the country immediately, in two month’s time,
it might be reverted to Government treasury because the bank management
cannot provide Mr. Emad since he is now late.

I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin to the
account since you are a foreigner, so that my bank head quarters will
release the funds to you. It is only a foreigner can claim the funds in the
account. Please, treat as top secret, I am the only person having this
information.

Regards,
Fawzi Ameen.

_________________________________________________________________
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