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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Asif Abbas <asifabbas_gh21@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <asifabbas_gh@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 11:45:36 -0400
Subject: RESPOND FOR DETAILS



Greetings to you.
My name is Mr. Asif Abbas, a banker here in U.A.E. I write you this proposal in good faith as a brother. In 2002 an American Crude Oil dealer Late Mr. Mike Dawes, made a fixed deposit for 36 calendar months, valued at Seventeen Million, Five hundred Thousand US Dollars (US$17,500,000.00) 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. Unfortunately, he died in a suicide bomb attack on the 24th of August 2005 in baqubah, Iraq. The account has no next of kin and he did not include any other living relatives to inherit this fund. http://icasualties.org/oif/Civ.aspx
Some top management officials of the bank have been trying to find out from me the information about this account and the owner, but I have kept it closed because, I know that if they become aware that Mr Dawes is now late, they will corner the funds for themselves. Therefore, I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin / business partner 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 who can claim the funds in the account and both of you have similar name. Please, treat as top secret, I am the only person having this information. Let me know your interest and your terms if we will use your bank account to receive this money.
Regards,
Mr. Asif Abbas.
_________________________________________________________________
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