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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: paul bongo <pl_bongo@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 06:54:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AN-URGENT-ASSITANCE


DEAR SIR/MADAM
MY NAME IS PAUL BONGO, A KENYAN, BY NATIONALITY PRESENTLY RESIDING IN ACCRA,GHANA. MY FATHER HAD A BIG HOTEL IN MY COUNTRY BEFORE HIS SUDDEN DEATH, DURING THE CRISE AND GOVERNMENT IN MY COUNTRY. MY FATHER'S ATTORNEY CALLED ME TO TELL ME ABOUT SOME MONEY MY FATHER DEPOSITED, IN A FINANCE SECURING COMPANY HERE IN GHANA FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT.
THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS $10.5 MILLION (TENY/FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS) I'M SOLICITING FOR YOUR HAND IN PARTNERSHIP AS TO COME UP, SO THAT WE CAN BOTH THINK OF A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT TO START WITH THIS FUNDS IN YOUR COUNTRY, I HAVE NOT HANDLE SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, I ALSO DON'T INTEND TO INVEST THIS MONEY HERE IN AFRICA AND I AM NOT INTO BUSINESS, THEREFORE I NEED A HELPING HAND AS TO INVEST THIS MONEY JUDICIOUSELY. THE DOCUME NTS RELATING TO THIS DEPOSITING OF THE CONSIGNMENT ARE INTACT WITH ME, I SHALL SEND THEM TO YOU FOR PROOF AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST IN GOING INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH ME AND WE SHALL NEGOTIATE ON THE SHARE (PERCENTAGE) THEREAFTER. YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED GOD BLESS YOU.
YOURS SINCERE
PAUL BONGO

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