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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: ABDUL HASSAN <abdulssan@aim.com>
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:53:13 +0100
Subject: FROM LEBANON


LEBANON CITY COMMERCIAL BANK
ABDUL BLVD P.O.BOX 76411
BEIRUT , LEBANON
Dr Hassan Abdul,

Dearest,
My name is Dr Hassan Abdul, I am working at the lebanon City Bank .
I am seeking your assistance to help me receive and invest the sum of =
$15,800,000 united states dollars.
I am leaving lebanon finally because of the crisis in my country.
Please I want you to help me receive this money and keep it safe in your =
country immediately.. I will give you 20% of the total money for helping me =
to keep and invest the money.

My proposal; I am prepared to place you in a position whereby an instruction =
is given to the Lebanon City Bank firm to officially release the deposit to =
you as the closest surviving relation/associate, and all etiquette shall be =
done in accordance with the rule of law, I certainly can guarantee you that. =
By the common law,the power of bequeathing is coeval with the first rudiments =
of the law, and this power has been extended to all a man's Personal and Real =
estate (Personalty & Realty). There is no ruling which prevents an
inheritance from being so exhausted by legacies as to render it unworthy of =
the heir's acceptance; basically all persons of sound mind are competent to =
bequeath and devise real and personal estate, excepting infants, with all =
this I would say we have the clear
advantage to carry out a smooth and perfect operation whereby the paper work =
shall be coordinated in such a way that your status as a sole beneficiary is =
confirmed. Upon receipt of the deposit, I am prepared to share the money with =
you in half and no more; that is: I will simply nominate you as the next of =
kin and have them release the deposit to you; afterwards we share the =
proceeds 20/80.

I would have gone ahead to ask the funds be released to me, but that would =
have drawn a straight line to me and my involvement in claiming the deposit, =
but on the other hand, you as a indifferent foreigner would easily pass as =
the beneficiary with the rights to
claim, I assure you that I could have the deposit released to you in a few =
days. I will simply inform our bank of the final closing of the file relating =
to the this fundsr, I will then officially communicate with the Transfer =
Department and instruct them to release the deposit to you; with these two =
things: all is done.The alternative would be for us to have the firm direct =
the funds to another bank with you as account holder, this way you will have =
to open an online account with a relable bank in Europe which I have dealing =
with, afterward the deposit will be transfer to the account from our firm.

There is no risk in this transaction , Please it is very urgent.

I wait for your immediate reply via my private e-mail:hassandul@aim.com

Regards
Dr Hassan Abdul.

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