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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: stephen pablo <aud_stephen026@msn.com>
Reply-To: <audstephen100@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:55:38 +0000
Subject: GOOD NEWS



Hello, Do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does not meet your personal ethics although, I Wish to use this medium to get in touch with you because it's fastestmeans. I am an external auditor of a well-known bank here in the United Kingdom. In one of our periodic auditing I discovered a dormant accounts with holding balance of £150,000,000 (One Hundred & Fifty Million British Pounds), which has not been operated for the pastthree years. From my investigations and confirmations, the owner of this account is a foreigner who died long ago and since then nobody has done anything as regardsthe 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 official of the Federal Ministry of Finance here and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with us although due to his position he did not want to take active part but as soon as you follow my instructions everything will be successful because we will be working hand in hand with him. With this purpose 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 societies because if we left the fund with the government it will be fortified for nothing and will be used to suppress the poor masses in the society. This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is legitimate and does notoriginate from drug, money laundry, terrorism or any other illegal act. Finally, I will give you 40% for your cooperation, 10% will be for miscellaneous expenses that both parties might have incurred during this process. I would want you to understand that thisis a DEAL. On receipt of your response I will furnish you with detailed clarification as it relates to this mutual benefit transaction. Do contact me immediately whether or not you are interested in this deal. If you are not, it will enable me scout for another foreign Partner to carry out this deal. But where you are interested, contact me URGENTLY for more details astime is of the essence in this business. Please observe utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in real estate within your country. You should send me your account information as states below where you like the money to be transfer so that I can send application for the release of the fund immediately with your account information. Even an empty account is ok. Bank Name................. Bank Address...................... Beneficiary Name................... Account Number.......................... Swift Code..................................... Your Tel/Fax Numbers............................. State & Country.................................... Occupation...........................
I look forward hearing from you as soon as possible if you are interested. Regards, Mr.Stephen Pablo.

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