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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: gamma traore <gammatraore080@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <gammatraore@myway.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:49:59 +0000
Subject: TREAT VERY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT RESPONSES.



FROM THE DESK OF GAMMA TRAORE (ESQ).THE HEAD OF FILE DEPARTMENT,AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (A.D.B)OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO WEST AFRICA.Site...http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm. ("REMITTANCE OF $15 MILLION U.S.A DOLLARS &NBS P; CONFIDENTIAL IS THE CASE") GOOD DAY. I AM (GAMMA TRAORE ESQ), THE HEAD OF FILE DEPARTMENT IN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (A.D.B).I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM YAHOO TOURIST SEARCH. WHEN I WAS SEARCHING FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER I ASSURED OF YOUR CAPABILITY AND RELIABILITY TO CHAMPION THIS BUSINEES OPPORTUNITY WHEN I PRAYED TO GOD OR ALLAH ABOUT YOU.IN MY DEPARTMENT WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF $ 15 MILLION DOLLARS ( FIFTEEN MILLION U.S.A DOLLARS) . IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN (MONDAY 31ST JULY 2000) IN A PLANE CRASH. SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CANNOT RELEASE IT UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICA TED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT ALL HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION DIED ALONGSIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND FOR THE CLAIM. IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I AND ONE OFFICIAL IN MY DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINNESS PROPOSAL TO YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON’T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL. THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAMED AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERED INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER, AND A BURKINABE CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER. WE AGREE THAT 30 % OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, IN RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF A FOREIGN ACCOUNT, 10 % WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURED DURING THE BUSINESS AND 60 % WOULD BE FOR ME AND MY WOMAN COLLEAGUE. THERE AFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGES INDICATED. THEREFORE TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRNANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOU AS ARRANGED, YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS RELATIONS OR NEXT OF KIN OF THE DECEASED INDICATING YOUR BANK NAME, YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND LOCATION WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED.UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL SEND TO YOU BY FAX OR EMAIL THE TEXT OF THE APPLICATION I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ATOM OF FEAR AS ALL REQUIRED ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THETRANSFER. TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY. YOUR’S FAITHFULLY, GAMMA TRAORE (ESQ.) POST SCRITUM:YOU HAVE TO KEEP EVERYTHING SECRET AS TO ENABLE THE TRANSFER TO MOVE VERY SMOOTHLY IN TO THE ACCOUNT YOU WILL PROVE TO THE BANK. AS YOU FINISHED READING THIS LETTER CALL ME IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE DISCUSS VERY WELL OVER THIS BUSINESS
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