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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: "chief marcel otu" <chiefotu11@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ouroffice001@voila.fr
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:14:45 +0100
Subject: Quick Reply


From: Chief. Macel Otu

Senior officer in

Federal Ministry of Finance.



Attn:



*PRIVATE/CONFIDENTIAL*



I am delighted to contact you on a private note based on your claim to your
fund, which has been programmed for transfer into your designated bank
account through my department.



I am hereby apologizing to you- for the delay in releasing this fund into
your account, which was caused due to breach of agreement between me and
your so-called partners in Nigeria who introduced you into this business.



Your Nigerian partners approached me that they want to present you as a
beneficiary to this fund as it was an OVER-INVOICING made when they are
awarding contract to foreign firms or needed someone as a NEXT OF KIN TO A
DECEASED.





After the negotiation, we unanimously agreed that they (your partners) would
give me the sum of US$200,000.00 (CASH) on my acceptance to assist them
effect transfer since every payment must pass through my department. As soon
as I made some fruitful effort on the business and demanded my US$200,000.00
as agreed, Your partners deviated from the agreement and decided to go
through other senior officials at my back and made a change of your bank
account in other to disappoint me and without knowing that it is highly
impossible to achieve this without my involvement.



Then I got knowledge of their evil plans and proved their illicit efforts
abortive. That is why for many years you have been pursuing this payment,
spending unnecessary funds to some fraudulent individuals in Nigeria who
claimed to be in charge to release your fund. I want to re-emphasize to you
that your fund is still here. Now with my whole heart I want to enter into
real business with you on a sincere agreement since your partners have
disappointed you and the fund is still floating in your name waiting for a
proper documentation and claim.



1. On an agreement, I assure you that I am going to transfer this fund into
your account.



2. You will assure me of keeping my dealings with you to an utmost secrecy
because of my position.



3. You will promise to give me 20% of the total fund as soon as the fund
gets into your account with a written promissory note signed by you.



4. I will assist you in making a proper documentation to make your claim
genuine.





I advised you that hence forth, you should suspend any dealings from any
group of person(s) either from the (FMF) or any other financial
institution/Agency in Nigeria or oversea that might be contacting you in
this purpose and Endeavour to keep this information confidential until we
finalize this transaction.



Please reply this message urgently and call me on my confidential Telephone
number: (234-80 595 75 117)(MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS ouroffice001@voila.fr) as
soon as you received this mail.



While waiting for your favorable response,



God bless you.



Yours faithfully,



Chief Macel Otu.

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