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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: "dr_habib Gazeta.pl" <dr_habib@gazeta.pl>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:22:04 +0100
Subject: FROM Dr.Habib Ghazi


*FROM Dr.Habib Ghazi. *
**
*Dear Sir / Ceo ,

Do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does not meet your personal ethics
although. *
*
I am the bill and exchange Manager of a well known bank here in the Cotonou
Benin Rep. In one of our periodic auditing I discovered a dormant account
with holding balance of US$8.1M (Eight Million One Hundred Thousand US
Dollars) which has not been operated for the past three years. From my
investigations and confirmations, the owner of this account, a foreigner by
name Mr. Hamid Ayed died in plane crash in July 19, 2003 and since then
nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money because he
has no family members who are aware of the existence of neither the account
nor the funds.

I have secretly discussed this matter with a top senior minister official of
the federal ministry of finance here and we have agreed to find a reliable
foreign partner to transfer the fund into your account which you will
provide although due to his position he did not want to take active part but
as soon as you follow the instructions I will be getting from him,
everything will be successful because we will be working hand in hand with
him. We thus propose to do business with you, standing in as the next of kin
of these funds from the deceased and after due legal processes have been
followed the fund will be released to your account without delay and we will
use it for investment and to assist the less privileged in the society
because if we left the fund with the government it will be forfeited for
nothing and will be used to suppress the poor masses in the society.

This transaction is legitimate and does not originate from drug, money
laundry, terrorism or any other illegal act. Finally, I will give you 30%
for your co-operation, 10% will be for expenses both parties might have
incurred during this process. You should send me any of your valid
international passports. On receipt of your response I will furnish you
with detailed clarification as it relates to this mutual benefit.

You should send me your information as states below,*
*Your Age........ Status......... Your Full Name..........
Your Tel/Fax Number.......... State & Country................*

*Do you have any investment idea? I look forward to hearing from you *
*Please get back to me through my private email address below , If you are
interested to know much about this transaction : **
drhabibghazi@rocketmail.com* <drhabibghazi@rocketmail.com>
*
Dr.Habib Ghazi.*
*+229 97 98 35 84. *

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