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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: thompson wangu <thompsonwangu11@btinternet.com>
Reply-To: thompson505wangu@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 17:15:36 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: From Mr. Thompson Wangu.


>From Mr. Thompson Wangu.
Chairman Contract Review Panel,
Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire.
West Africa.
 
 
Attn:
 
Firstlly, I must solicit your strictest confidence in this transaction. This by virtue of it's nature as being utterly confidential and "Top Secret". I got your contact in our search for a foreign partner who has the ability and reliability to prosecute a transaction of great magnitude Involving a pending business transaction requiring maximum confidence.
We are top officials of the Federal Government contract review panel who are interested in investment in your country with funds which are presently trapped here in Cote D Ivoire. In order to commence this business we solicit your assistance to enable us transfer into your account the said withheld funds.
The source of this fund is as follows:
During the last regime here of General Robert Guei in Cote D' Ivoire some government officials set up companies and awarded themselves contracts which were grossly over Invoiced in various ministries.
The government set up a contract review panel and we have Identified a lot of inflated contracts funds which are presently deposited in a bank here in Abidjan,Cote D'Ivoire .
However, by virtue of our position as civil servants and members of this panel ,we cannot acquire this money in our name. I have therefore ,been delegated as a matter of trust by my colleagues to look for an overseas partner into whose account we would transfer the total sum of USD$35,500,000.00 [Thirty five million, five hundred united states dollars].
Hence we are writing you this letter. We agreed to share the money thus:
 
[1] 20% for the account owner
[2] 80% for us[The Officials]
 
It is from the 80% that we wish to commence investments in your country as you will also stand as our foreign agent over there. Please note that this transaction is 100% safe and we hope to commence the transaction latest seven [7] days from the date of the receipt of the following information bellow.
[A] Company name beneficiary of account.
[B] Your personal tel/fax numbers.
[C] Bank account information where the fund will be transfered.
[D] Your account address, tel/fax numbers.
 
The above information will enable us commence the transfer of this funds into your account in your country without delay.
We are looking forward to doing business with you and solicit your confidentiality in this transaction.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter using the above email
address;  I will bring you into the complete picture of this pending project when I hear from you.
 
With Kind regards,
Mr. Thompson Wangu  

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