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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Thomas Okiki" <thomasokii@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: thomasokiki@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 06:26:28 -0700
Subject: From Thomas


Dear Business Partner,


My name is Thomas Okiki, the Chairman of Independent Committee on Unclaimed Foreign Funds (I.C.U.F.F),Senegal ICUFF is charged with the responsibility of finding foreign bank accounts abbroad belonging to our late citizens which have remained dormant/unclaimed over the years.It may interest you to know that In 2004, A list of dormant accounts originally owned by our citizens was and sent to our country's government.Some of these dormant accounts belonged to our late citizens of Senegal.



The continuing efforts of the Independent Committee on Unclaimed Foreign Funds (I.C.U.F.F) has since resulted in the discovery of additional dormant accounts,securities accounts, safe deposit boxes, custody accounts,non interest bearin g accounts. A routine notification has been sent from a security firm abroad to my office to make available the beneficiary for the claim of US$12.5 million belonging to one of our late citizens .


The depositor died several years back leaving no possible records for trace of heirs. I need a foreign partner to ASSIST claim this deposit as the beneficiary.You will be required to provide me with your details for the processing of the necessary legal, and administrative claim documents or your claim in the Security company abroad.Provide me with your full name,address, and telephone/fax.


SEEING IS BELIEVING.THERE IS NO RISK INVOLVED.YOUR MAXIMUM COOPERATION NEEDED. I am pledging to give you some percentage of the total value of the said deposit for your assistance . I want you to immediately contact me and I will furnish you with more information about the process of transfer to you.


Thank you for your prompt response.
Thomas Okiki.

Email:bhenry@inbox.com.

N.B:Please respond with your full names, address, phone and fax numbers for the immediate start up of this transaction. Do note that who you are does not matter and you will be better informed when I hear from you.



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