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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: ali bello <alibellotg13@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <alibello_001@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 9 Dec 2007 07:45:42 -0600
Subject: REPLY VIA EMAIL OR CALL ME.



FROM:MR ALI BELLOECOWAS INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT BANK LOME TOGO, WEST AFRICADIRECT TEL:00 2289047132.

DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS MR ALI BELLO,THE MANAGER CREDIT AND FOREIGN BILLS OF ECOWAS INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT BANK LOME TOGO (E.I.D.B].I AM WRITING IN RESPECT OF A TURKISH FOREIGN CUSTOMER OF MY BANK WITH ACCOUNT NUMBER (21-002610-AU200EC) WHO PERISHED IN A PLANE CRASH [UNION TRANSPORT AFRICAINES(UTA)BOEING 727] ON THE 25TH DECEMBER 2003 WITH OTHER PASSENGERS ABOARD.

SIR,SINCE THE DEMISE OF THIS OUR CUSTOMER I PERSONALLY HAVE WATCHED WITH KEEN INTEREST TO SEE THE NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED ABORTIVE AS NO ONE HAS COME TO CLAIM HIS FUNDS OF USD.10.5M,[TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS]HAS BEEN WITH MY BANK FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

ON THIS NOTE I DECIDED TO SEEK FOR WHOM HIS NAME SHALL BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN AS NO ONE HAS COME UP TO BE THE NEXT OF KIN.AND THE BANKING ETHICS HERE DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH MONEY TO STAY MORE THAN FIVE YEARS,BECUASE AFTER FIVE YEARS THE MONEY WILL BE RECALLED TO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED DEPOSIT.

IN VIEW OF THIS I SARCHED THE INTERNET AND GOT YOUR IMPRESIVE CONTACT THROUGH MY COUNTRY'S TRADE MISSION GUEST BOOK,AND I CONSIDER YOU FAVOURABLE TO BE USED AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.

THE REQUEST OF A FOREIGNER AS A NEXT OF KIN IN THISBUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMERWAS A FOREIGNER LIKE YOU,AND A TOGOLESE LIKE MYSELF CANNOT STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.I AGREED THAT USD 4.5M OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS A FOREIGN PARTNER IN RESPECT OF PROVIDING A BANK ACCOUNT WERE THE FUNDS WILL BE WIRE,WHILE THE REST WILL BE FOR ME,THEREAFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT AS I AM ALMOST DUE FOR RETIREMENT.

THEREFORE,TO EXPEDITE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT,YOU HAVE TO APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS A RELATIVE TO THE DECEASED INDICATING YOUR BANK NAME,YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER,YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER,YOUR DIRECT FAX NUMBER FOR EASY COMMUNICATION,AND LOCATION WHERE THE MONEY WILL BE WIRED.

UPON THE RECEIPT OF YOUR EMAIL RESPONSE TODAY,I WILL SEND YOU BY E-MAIL THE TEXT OF APPLICATION LETTER AND THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE.I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS VERY HITCH FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AS THE WHOLE REQUIRED ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE SMOOTH AND HITCH FREE TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO YOUR FOREIGN BANK A/C. YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME AS A MATTER OF FACT IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER.

TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSIBLE.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

MR ALI BELLO.ECOWAS INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT BANK
_________________________________________________________________
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