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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: "Lucas Okiuo" <lucasioikuiii@latinmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:23:45 +0100 (CET)
Subject: IN TRUST AND CONFIDENCE,


BARRISTER LUCAS OKIUO (ESQ)
PLOT 315, RUE 11, PLATEAU,=20
ABIDJAN-COTE D'IVOIRE.=20
=20
=20
GREETINGS TO YOU. WITH DUE RESPECT, I AM MR. LUCAS OKIUO (ESQ), THE LEG=
AL DIRECTOR HERE AT THE MINISTRY OF WORKS ABIDJAN IVORY COAST. I HAVE C=
ONTACTED YOU TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE FOR THE TRANSFER OF AN UNCLAIMED C=
ONTRACT FUNDS WHICH ACCRUED FROM A DELIBERATE OVER INVOICING OF SOME CO=
NTRACTS AWARDED TO A NOW DECEASED FOREIGN CONTRACTOR BY THE MINISTRY OF=
WORKS DURING THE DEFUNCT MILITARY REGIME OF THE LATE GEN. ROBERT GUEI.=
I CONTACTED YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR SURNAME MATCHING AND EQUALLY FROM THE =
SAME COUNTRY WITH THE DECEASED.=20
=20
BY VIRTUE OF MY POSITION HERE IN THE MINISTRY, I HAVE ACCESS TO SOME CO=
NTRACT APPROVAL INFORMATION CONCERNING A CONTRACT WHICH WAS EXECUTED BY=
THIS CONTRACTOR ATTACHED TO THE MINISTRY OF WORKS. THIS CONTRACT HAS L=
ONG BEEN EXECUTED AND OMMISSIONED, BUT THIS OVER INVOICED PAYMENT IS ST=
ILL OUTSTANDING AND UNCLAIMED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH I WILL EXPLAIN=
TO YOU IN THE COURSE OF OUR CORRESPONDENCE. THIS MATTER REQUIRES UTMOS=
T ATTENTION AS THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN OUR COUNTRY SINCE THE=
INTERVENTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS WHO BROKERED A PEACE DEAL BETWEEN T=
HE GOVERNMENT AND THE NEW FORCES REBELS HAS NOW PRESENTED AN OPPORTUNIT=
Y FOR THE MONEY TO BE TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE COUNTRY AS THE PREVIOUS FI=
NANCIAL EMBARGO HAS BEEN LIFTED.=20
=20
OWING TO THE DEMISE OF THE CONTRACTOR AND BY VIRTUE OF MY POSITION HERE=
AT THE MINISTRY OF WORKS, I HAVE DECIDED TO USE ALL THE RESOURCES WITH=
IN MY POWER TO RETRIEVE THIS OUTSTANDING CONTRACT PAYMENT SINCE THE CON=
TRACTOR WHOSE NAME WAS USED TO PROCESS THE CONTRACT PAYMENT APPROVAL HA=
S LONG DIED AND NO RELATIVES HAS EVER CAME FORWARD FOR THE CLAIMS OF TH=
E OUTSTANDING PAYMENT. WE HAVE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO POSSIBLY TRACE =
ANY OF THE LATE CONTRACTORS'S RELATIVES WHO WILL=20
ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COMING FORWARD FOR THE CLAIMS OF THIS OUTS=
TANDING PAYMENT.=20
=20
IT IS NEVER MY DESIRE TO SEE THE ABOVE MATTER TREATED THAT WAY HENCE I =
CONDUCTED A SEARCH THAT WILL ASSIST ME IN FIRST AND FOREMOST TRACE ANY =
RELATIVE OF THE DECEASED AND ALSO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE FUNDS.I HAV=
E CONTACTED YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT B=
EHIND BY THE LATE CONTRACTOR BECAUSE IF A RELATIVE IS NOT FOUND WITHIN =
SIX WEEKS THEN THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE WILL MOVE AND LIQUIDATE THE ENTIRE ES=
TATE OF THE LATE CONTRACTOR INCLUDING THIS UNPAID CONTRACT AMOUNTS ON T=
HE ACCOUNT OF HAVING BEEN UNSERVICEABLE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.=20
=20
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CO OPERATION AND YOUR EXTREME DISCRETION IN THIS=
MATTER. UNTIL SUCH A TIME THIS MATTER IS SETTLED, I WILL CONTINUE TO W=
ORK WITH YOU IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE TO SEE THAT THE OUTSTANDING PAYMENT IS=
RELEASED AND TRANSFERRED IN YOUR NAME AS A BONA FIDE NEXT OF KIN TO TH=
E LATE CONTRACTOR AS I SHALL BE PRESENTING YOU TO THE MINISTRY OF WORKS=
WE SHALL WITHIN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW DAYS PLAN AND EXECUTE HOW =
BEST TO PURSUE THIS MATTER OF MUTUAL INTEREST WITH A VIEW TO COST EFFEC=
TIVENESS.=20
=20
I HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE USED TO BACK UP A=
NY CLAIM WE MAY MAKE. ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST CO OPERATION TO ENAB=
LE US SEE THIS DEAL THROUGH. I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UND=
ER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT US FROM ANY BREACH OF LAW=
IF INTERESTED PLEASE RESPOND AND DO NOT BE DESTRUCTIVE. IF MY OFFER IS=
OF NO APPEAL TO YOU, DELETE THIS MESSAGE AND FORGET I EVER CONTACTED Y=
OU. DO NOT DESTROY MY CAREER EVEN IF YOU DO NOT APPROVE OF MY PROPOSAL.=
PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME BY MY EMAIL TO ENABLE US DISCUSS THIS FURT=
HER.=20
=20
RESPECTFULLY,
=20
MR LUCAS OKIUO, ESQ.
=20
=20
=20
=20
CONFIDENTIAL NOTICE: THIS EMAIL MESSAGE IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF=
THE INTENDED RECIPIENT AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED,=
CONFIDENTIAL AND PROHIBITED FROM UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE UNDER APPLICA=
BLE LAW. IF YOU ARE NOT THE INTENDED RECIPIENT OF THIS MESSAGE, ANY DIS=
SEMINATION, DISTRIBUTION OR COPYING OF THIS MESSAGE IS STRICTLY PROHIBI=
TED. IF YOU RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE IN ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY THE SENDER BY=
REPLY EMAIL AND DESTROY ALL COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE.
=20


Las m=E1s bellas del planeta, en Miss Mundo 2007 http://www.starmedia.c=
om/entretenimiento/especiales/misses.html

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