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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: komi osman <ko_os31@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <ko_osman1000@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 10:36:17 +0200
Subject: waiting for your reply



RE: REMITTANCE OF US$10,500,000FROM THE DESK OF Mr KOMI OSMANDear FriendI am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance department of the Bank of Africa(BOA)BURKINA FASO. I am writing following the impressive information about you. I have the assurance that you are capable and reliable enough to champion an impending transaction. In my department, we discovered an abandoned sum of US$10.5m USD (Ten million, five hundred thousand US dollars), in an account that belonged to one of our former customers who died along with his entire family in a plane crash, in November, 2001. Since we received the information about his death, we expected his next of kin to come forward and claim his money, as enshrined in our banking laws and regulations.So far nobody has come forward, and we cannot release the funds unless someone applies as the next of kin as stipulated in our guidelines. Unfortunately, we have discovered that all his supposed next of kin or relations died alongside with him in the plane crash, and effectively leaving nobody behind to come forward and claim the balance left in his account.My colleagues and I want to take this once in a life time opportunity.It is consequent upon this discovery that other officials and I in my department decided to make this business proposal to you. We want to present you as the next of kin or relation of the deceased person. We intend to transfer the money into your account for safety and subsequent disbursement, since nobody is coming forward for it. If we lose this golden opportunity, the bank is going to return the money into the bank’s treasury as unclaimed bill.The bank’s regulation stipulates that if after five years, such money remains unclaimed; the money will be reverted to the bank’s treasury as unclaimed fund. The request for a foreigner as the next of kin in this transaction is predicated upon the fact that the said customer was a foreign national and no citizen of this country can claim to be the next of kin of a foreigner. We agree that 30% of the total sum we be given to you for your assistance in facilitating this transaction. My colleagues and I are going to retain 60% of the total sum, and 10% will be set aside for the expenses that we may incur in facilitating the remittance. To enable us effect this remittance, you must first apply as the next of kin of the deceased.Your application will include your bank co-ordinates, that is, your bank name, bank address and telex, your bank account.I want you also to include your private telephone no. and fax no. in your response to me, for easy and effective communication during this process. My colleagues and I will visit your country for disbursement according to the agreed ratio, when this transaction is concluded.Upon the receipt of your response, I will send to you the text of an application which you will use to apply to bank for payment of this to your bank account. I must not fail to bring to your notice the fact that this transaction is hitch free, and that you should not entertain any fear, as you are adequately protected from any form of embarrassment. Do respond to this letter today to enable us proceed with the transaction.Yours sincerely,Mr Ali MUSAail to bring to your notice the fact that this transaction is hitch free, and that you should not entertain any fear, as you are adequately protected from any form of embarrassment. Do respond to this letter today to enable us proceed with the transaction.Yours sincerely,Mr KOMI OSMAN
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