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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: Isaacs Ahmed <isaacsahmed5@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: isaacsahmed@myway.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:36:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Urgent Trade Project .



=A0
DEAR SIR,
=A0
I CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE TO PERMIT ME TO WRITE YOU THIS LETTER OF INVESTIMEN=
T ASSISTANCE.
=A0
HOWEVER,MY NAME IS ISAACS AHMED,FROM DALFUR,SOUTHERN SUDAN.I WAS THE FIRST=
=A0 SON OF PERSONAL AIDE AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO LATE DR.JOHN GUARANG,THE =
FORMER LEADRER OF SUDANESE PEOPLES LIBERATION ARMY (SPLA)WHO DIED IN A HELI=
COPTER CRASH IN JULY,2005 ON HIS WAY BACK FROM A PEACE TREATY MEETING IN UG=
ANDA.
=A0
IN A NUTSHEL,I AM WRITTING YOU THIS SHORT LETTER TO SEEK YOUR SWIFT ASSISTA=
NCE FOR AN URGENT INVESTIMENT OPTION WHICH CAME UP AS A RESULT OF THE SUM O=
F US$11.5MIILION WHICH WAS MEANT TO PROCURE AND PURCHASE ARMS AND AMMUNITIO=
NS IN UKRIAN FOR THE FORTIFICATION
OF SUDANESE PEOPLES LIBERATION ARMY (SPLA)STRUGGLE THEN.
=A0
NOW CONSEQUENT UPON MY HEARING IN THE BBC NEWS,THE SUDDEN DEATH OF OUR GREA=
T LEADER - DR.JOHN GUARANG- I, IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO DEPOSIT THIS MONEY IN=
A SAFE SECURITY COMPANY PENDING WHEN I WILL KNOW WHAT
TO DO WITH THE MONEY.
=A0
SO PLEASE,I URGE YOU TO CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY FOR A POSSIBLE INVESTIMENT D=
IALOGUE AND OPTIONS ABROAD OF WHICH YOU WILL BE DULLY AND GREATLY COMPENSAT=
ED IN THE END.
=A0
=A0
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
ISAACS AHMED.
=A0=0A=0A=0A

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