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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: "Thompson Brown" <thompsonbrown23@rediffmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: thompsonbrown1955@libero.it
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2007 08:58:10 +0000
Subject: Hello

Dear Sir,


My reason for contacting you is based on an urgent need to invest some fund amounting to $8,200,000.00 (Eight Million Two Hundred Thousand United States dollars) into your company or any viable business in your country. 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 remittance.


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. What I request is a honest foreign partner in whose account we will transfer the sum of $8,200,000.00 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, and 70% would be for me and my colleague. Thereafter I and my colleague will visit your country for disbursement and further investmen!
t projects, hence the reason for requesting your sincere co-operation in working together as partners and receive the funds in your bank account with total trust.


For further information please contact me immediately.


Waiting for your reply message.


Best Regards,

Mr. Thompson Brown
You can allso contact me through my privet box thompsonbrown@webmail.co.za


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