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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: "Michael Sawadogo" <michael_sawadogo@latinmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2008 14:21:33 +0100 (CET)
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED


DR MICHAEL SAWADOGO=20
CREDIT AND EXCHANGE MANAGER,=20
BANK OF AFRICA(BOA).=20
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA-FASO.=20


DEAR FRIEND.
TOP SECR=
ET
I AM DR MICHAEL SAWADOGO ,THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF CREDIT AND EXCHANGE=
SECTION OF BANK OF AFRICA,(BOA) OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO WEST AFRICA W=
ITH DUE RESPECT AND REGARD. I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS=
TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END OF T=
HE TRANSACTION .

DURING OUR INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN THIS BANK, MY DEPARTMENT CAME =
ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON WHO DIED=
ON MONDAY, 31 JULY, 2000, IN A PLANE CRASH AND THE FUND HAS BEEN DORMA=
NT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THIS BANK WITHOUT ANY CLAIM OF THE FUND IN OUR C=
USTODY EITHER FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATION BEFOREOUR DISCOVERY TO THIS D=
EVELOPMENT.

THE SAID AMOUNT WAS U.S $4.2M (FOUR MILLION TWO HUNDRED UNITED STATES D=
OLLARS). AS IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW, I GOT YOUR IMPRESSIVE INFORMAT=
ION THROUGH THE BURKINA-FASO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON FOREIGN BUSINESS RE=
LATIONS HERE IN OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO.

MEANWHILE ALL THE WHOLE ARRANGEMENT TO PUT CLAIM OVER THIS FUND AS THE =
BONAFIDE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED, GET THE REQUIRED APPROVAL AND TRA=
NSFER THIS MONEY TO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND DIRECTI=
VES AND NEEDED INFORMATION WILL BE RELAYED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICA=
TE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST ME AND ALSO BENEFIT YOUR SEL=
F TO THIS GREAT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

IN FACT I COULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION IN=
THIS COUNTRY AS A CIVIL SERVANT(A BANKER),WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OPERAT=
E A FOREIGN ACCOUNT AND WOULD EVENTUALLY RAISE AN EYE BROW ON MY SIDE D=
URING THE TIME OF TRANSFER BECAUSE I WORK IN THIS BANK.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL REASON WHY IT WILL REQUIRE A SECOND PARTY OR FELLOW =
WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIMS AS THE NEXT OF KIN WITH AFFIDAVIT OF TRUST OF O=
ATH TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FOREIGN ACCOUNT WHERE HE WILL NEED T=
HE MONEY TO BE RE-TRANSFERRED INTO ON HIS REQUEST AS IT MAY BE AFTER DU=
E VERIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION BY THE CORRESPONDENT BRANCH OF THE BAN=
K WHERE THE WHOLE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED FROM TO YOUR OWN DESIGNATION B=
ANK ACCOUNT.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE. =
ON SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 30% O=
F THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO TAKE C=
ARE OF EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFERRING THE FUND=
AND ALSO TELEPHONE BILLS, WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR ME. PLEASE, YOU HAVE B=
EEN ADVICED TO KEEP "TOP SECRET" AS I AM STILL IN SERVICE AND INTEND TO=
RETIRE FROM SERVICE AFTER I CONCLUDE THIS DEAL WITH YOU.

I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLESITUATION HERE IN THIS BANK UNTIL YOU CON=
FIRM 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 IN. ALL OTHER NECESSARY VITAL INFORMATION WILL=
BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.

I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVE YOUR EMAIL=20

THANKS
MY REGARDS.
DR MICHAEL SAWADOGO



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

Anti-fraud resources: