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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: "Donald Luke"<claude.dossou@bol.com.br>
Reply-To: <donluk@centrum.sk>
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 20:14:42 +0100
Subject: How you may apply.

Luke Donald
Barr. Luke Donald
345 Avenue du Ndjamena
Lome-Togo.
Contact Email: donluk@centrum.sk

I am a legal practitioner based in Lome, Togo. A bank here is calling for application from eminently qualified
individuals for appointment as trustee to receive and manage an account willed to charity by my late client,
a prominent government official in one of the neighboring countries. In his will, he directed that I should
work in conjunction with the bank to appoint a trustee for the purpose mentioned above.

I will be glad if you would apply for this trustee position. I will facilitate your appointment based on the understanding
that part of the fund you will receive will be shared among the parties for our mutual benefit while part will
be used for charity. The key officers at the bank are aware of this arrangement and willing to give their
support. So, with your co-operation I believe we can realize this objective.

If you are 20years and above, willing to co-operate with us as specified above; that is, to stand as the
foreign Trustee who will be appointed to receive this money, then contact me through this email: donluk@centrum.sk
for further information on how you may apply.

Donald


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