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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: conombo <conombo@gazeta.pl>
Reply-To: conombo_01@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:27:24 +0200
Subject: REPLY URGENTLY


FROM THE DESK OF MR CONOMBO AROUNA
FOREIGN REMITTANCE AND EXCHANGE.
BANK OF AFRICAN (BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO.

DEAR FRIEND,

I AM THE MANAGER OF FOREIGN REMITTANCE AND EXCHANGE DEPT AT
BANK OF AFRICAN (BOA). BURKINA- FASO,WEST AFRICA.

IN MY DEPARTMENT WE DISCOVER AN ABANDONED SUM OF USD$8.6M DOLLARS (EIGHT
MILLION, SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLAR).IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE
OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONGSIDE WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN A
CONCORD PLANE CRASH THE YEAR 2000 AT PARIS THAT ALMOST TOOK THE WHOLE LIFE
OF THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD.

SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH,THE BANK HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS
NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE THE BANK CANNOT RELEASE
IT UNLESS SOMEONE APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED
AS INDICATING IN OUR BANKING GUIDLINES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT ALL
HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION THAT KNOWNS ABOUT THE ACCOUNT
INFORMATION DIED ALONGSIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND
FOR THE CLAIM.

IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I AND OTHER STAFF IN MY
DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDE TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU AND FOR THE
MONEY BE RELEASE TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED,
SINCE NOBODY WILL EVER COME FOR IT. WE DO NOT WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE
TREASURY OF THE BANK AS UNCLAIMED BILL OR FUND.

THE BANK LAW AND GUIDELINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED
UNCLAIMED AFTER SIX YEARS,THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE BANK
TREASURY ACCOUNT AS UNCLAIMED FUND.

THE REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN THIS TRANSACTION IS OCCASIONED BY
THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER AND A BURKINABE CANNOT STAND AS
NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER.

IN SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT OF THE MONEY,WE AGREE THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL
BE FOR YOU IN RESPECT OF THE PROVISION YOU MADE BY STANDING IN THE CLAIM AS
NEXT OF KIN,10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INSURE DURING THE TRANSACTION
ON TAXES THAT WILL ARISE AND 60%WOULD BE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES.

AS SOON AS THE MONEY HIT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT I WILL COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY
FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGES INDICATED ABOVE.
TO MAKE THE CLAIM, YOU WILL FIRST OF ALL APPLY TO THE BANK BY SENDING A TEXT
OF APPLICATION WHICH I WILL SEND TO YOU FOR YOU TO FILL AND SEND TO THE
BANK.IN <http://bank.in/> THE APPLICATION YOU WILL INDICATE YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT,YOUR PRIVATE FAX AND YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR EASY AND
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.

UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY,I WILL SEND TO YOU BY EMAIL THE TEXT OF
APPLICATION WHICH YOU WILL SEND TO THE BANK.I WILL NOT FAILTO BRING TO YOUR
NOTICE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH FREE AND YOU DO NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ATOM
OF FEAR AS ALL REQUIRED ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE
TRANSFER.

YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER.

TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.
THANKS

YOURS FAITHFULLY

MR.CONOMBO AROUNA

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