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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: "sonia yusuf" <sonia_yusuf01@latinmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:54:04 +0100 (CET)
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED


FROM THE DESK OF MRS SONIA YUSUF =20
ASSISTANCE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF=20
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING SECTION=20
BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A).=20
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO WEST AFRICA.=20

DEAR SIR/MADAM,

DURING OUR INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN THIS BANK , MY DEPARTMENT CAME=
ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A APER SON WHO DIED ON 26=
DECEMBER 2003 IN COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN IN A PLANE CRASH AND THE FU=
ND HAS BEEN DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK WITH OUT ANY CLAIM OF=
THE FUND IN OUR CUSTODY EITHER FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATION BEFORE OUR =
DISCOVERY TO THIS DEVELOPMENT.

WEBSITEHTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2003/WORLD/AFRICA/12/26/BENIN.CRASH)

THE SAID AMOUNT WAS EIGHTEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STAT=
ES OF AMERICAN DOLLARS.($18.500.000) SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS=
DEATH,WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER TO CLAIM HIS=
MONEY BECAUSE THE BANK CANNOT RELEASE THE FUND UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIED=
AS NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES =
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNED THAT ALL HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN AND RELA=
TION DIED ALONG SIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH.

THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I NOW DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS =
PROPOSAL TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN CLAIM THE MONEY INTO YOUR NOMINATED ACC=
OUNT AS ORIGINAL NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT =
DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR THE CLAIMED BECAUSE I DON'T WAN=
T THIS MONEY TO GO INTO BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED PROPERTY.=20

THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINES STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED A=
S UNCLAIMED AFTER FIVE,THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO BANK TREASURY=
AS UNCLAIMED FUND THEREFORE THE REQUESTING OF FOREIGNER TO BE THE NEXT=
OF KIN IN THIS BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THAT FACT THAT CUSTOMER WAS A=
FOREIGNER BECAUSE A BURKINABE CITIZEN CANNOT WITHSTAND AS NEXT OF KIN.=


I WILL NOT FAIL TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE.O=
N SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION,YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 40%OF T=
HE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO TAKE CARE =
OF EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER;WHILE 55% WILL B=
E FOR ME,PLEASE YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO KEEP TOP SECRET AS I AM STILL =
IN SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE FROM SERVICE AFTER WE CONCLUDE THIS DEA=
L WITH YOU.

I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THIS BANK UNTIL YOU CO=
NFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK ME TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY=
FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGES PREVIOUSLY=
INDICATED AND FURTHER INVESTMENT,EITHER IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY COUNTRY=
YOU ADVICE US TO INVEST.ALL OTHER NECESSARY VITAL INFORMATION WILL BE =
SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.

PLEASE REPLY BACK TO MY ALTERNATIVE BOX AT( sonia_yusuf01@latinmail.co=
m)
YOURS FAITHFULLY
MRS SONIA YSUF.



Un 2007 de Ins=F3lito, Deporte, Cine o Belleza... =A1Feliz Navidad! htt=
p://pan.starmedia.com/especiales/navidad07/portada/index.html

Un 2007 de Ins=F3lito, Deporte, Cine o Belleza... =A1Feliz Navidad! htt=
p://pan.starmedia.com/especiales/navidad07/portada/index.html

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