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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: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 19:59:21 +0100
Subject: From Mrs Alima Ahmed!


Dear faithful One,


With due respect and humility, I write to you irrespective of the fact that
you don't know me. I got your contact through the international directory on
internet when I was making inquiry for foreign assistance. I have decided to
contact and bestow trust in you, which I pray you will not ignore. I
apologize in advance for any inconveniences that this proposal may cause to
you. Handle this discretely and contact me urgently if you can assist me in
this transaction

I am Mrs Alima Ahmed, of Republic of Benin, widow to Late Mr. Usman Abdul
Ahmed (for Consular of the Benin embassy in Madrid,Spain.I have been
recently been diagnosed of Cancer of the Pelvic. I am writing from my sick
bed.

There is this consignment (contains US$29.5Million cash, in US$100 bills) my
husband deposited with a security company, here in Cotonou, Republic of
Benin of which I am the next of kin. With my health condition and because my
husband and I have no children, I am looking for a credible person to whom I
will pass the right of next of kin. This person will apply to the company
and request, from them, the procedure towards retrieving the consignment
from them.

This is on the condition that you will take 25% of the fund for yourself, 5%
used for expenses, while you will use the remaining 70% for the less
privileged people in the society. This is in fulfilment of the last request
of my husband: that a substantial part of the fund is used to carter for the
less privileged.

If this condition is acceptable to you, you should contact me immediately
with your full names and contact information so that I will send you all the
documents that the company gave to my husband when the consignment was
deposited. So that you will contact the company directly, and demand from
them the procedure towards retrieving the consignment from their company.

I cannot predict what will be my fate by the time you will receive the fund,
but you should please ensure that the fund is used as I have described
above. I look forward to your response.

Yours,
Mrs. Alima Ahmed

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