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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: "Ako Mza" <akomza150@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: mzako@live.com
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 21:27:24 +0100
Subject: Very Urgent!!!


Solicitor, Advocate and Notary Public
Office: 10 Garki lanes Lagos
EC1A, 2A1, Lagos-Nigeria

Dear friend,

My name is Mr. Ako Mza, Attorney to Late Engr. Joseph Garner. I am writing
in respect of a foreigner Late Engr. Joseph Garner, who perished in Auto
Crash with the whole passengers aboard. Since the dismissal of Engr. Joseph
Garner, I personally have watched with keen interest to see the next of kin
but all has proved abortive as no one has come to claim his funds of
(US$6.5m), [Six Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars] which
has been with BANK for a very long time.

On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the next
of kin as no one has come up to be the next of kin. And the banking ethics
here does not allow such money to stay more than four years, because money
will be recalled to the bank's treasury as unclaimed after this period. In
view of this I got your contact through a trade journal if you can stand as
next of kin to the deceased. I will give you 40% of the total. Upon the
receipt of your response, I will send you by e-mail the next step to take.

I will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is hitch free
and that you should not entertain any fear as all modalities for fund
transfer can be finalized within seven banking days. When you receive this
letter. Kindly send me an e-mail signifying your decision.

Respectfully submitted,
Mr. Ako Mza
Probate and Bequest Division

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