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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: "michealdavid8 Gazeta.pl" <michealdavid8@gazeta.pl>
Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 21:10:25 +0200
Subject: MY DEAR


*CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN*
*TINUBU SQUARE,
REPUBLIC-BENIN.*
*FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT.*
**

*Dear, Sir/Madam,*

*NOTIFICATION OF US$10.5M PART PAYMENT*
**
*I am Micheal David,Director, Foreign operations dept Central bank of
Benin. My office monitors and controls the affairs of all banks and
financial institutions in Benin **concerned with foreign claim payments.*
**
*I am the final signatory to any transfer of huge funds moving within
bank both on the local and international levels in line with foreign claim*
*settlement. *
**
*I have before me, list of funds which could not be transferred *
*to some nominated accounts as these accounts have been identified *
*either as unclaimed deposits or over-invoiced Sum etc.*
**
*Your Name was among the people expecting their funds to be transferred
On his note, I wish to have a deal with you as regards to your unpaid
funds.*
**
*I have your file before me and hope your datas are correct andun-tampered *
*unless you confirm.*
**
*As it is my duty to recommend the transfer of these surplus funds to the*
*Federal Government Treasury and Reserve Accounts as unclaimed deposits,*
*I have the opportunity to write you based on the instructions I received
from the*
*Foreign reconciliation dept to submit the List of payment reports/
expenditures *
*and audited reports of revenues.*
**
*At this juncture, I wish to inform you that your part payment of US$10.5M
has been approved through international certified band draft payable in our
*
*escrow account with our correspondence bank.*
**
*You are hereby adviced to recomfirm your contacts info and receiving
bank details to enable us send an immediate telex message to our*
*correspondence banker for the clearance of your approved fund to your *
*designated bank account.*
**
*This office will forward to you a copy of your certified bank draft as
soon as we hear from you for comfirmation through your local bank
reply back to me through my alternative email address If you AGREE
with my conditions. my email adress is
(**michealdavid3@yahoo.com<morgan_johnson4@yahoo.com>
**)*
**
*Best Regards,*
*Micheal David.
*
*DIRECTOR, FOREIGN*
*OPERATIONS DEPT*
*CENTRAL BANK OF BENIN*
*OVER DUE PAYMENT.*
**

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