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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: smith micheal <mmsmithc@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:54:41 +0100
Subject: from Mr.Micheal Smith



Corporate and Investment Banking SBU Directorate. central bank plc105-107 Station Road, Edgware, Middle coast Lagos Nigeria. Telephone: ++234 808 2869 776-8 Fax: ++234 808 2869 778
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL NOTICEGood day,
Notice is hereby given for verification of the below information given to us by our late customer MR HOWARD SMITH who made a numbered time [fixed] deposit for twelve [12] calendar months, valued at USD 2,000,000.00 {TWO MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY} in our Branch before his DEATH. We sent a routine notification to him Forwarded Contact address and discovered, he died of Heart attack last year. In our bank official Papers we found your name as the second CONTACT PERSON/BENEFICIARY.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this Electronic mail. We hope that you will find this information useful and helpful. Contact us on info@centralbankonline.net or Call us for further information.
assistance.Yours faithfully,FOR: CENTRAL BANK Mr.Micheal SmithFund Management Directorate
The Information contained and transmitted by this E-MAIL is proprietary to central bank Plc and/or its Customer and is intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or exempt from a disclosure under applicable law. If this is a forwarded message, the content of this E-MAIL may not have been sent with the authority of the Bank. central Bank Plc shall not be liable for any mails sent without due authorisation or through unauthorised access. If you are not the intended recipient, an agent of the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering the information to the named recipient, you are notified that any use, distribution, transmission, printing, copying or dissemination of this information in any way or in any manner is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please delete this mail and notify us immediately
_________________________________________________________________
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