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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: LABATT VICTOR <labattvictor@googlemail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:23:04 +0900
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED

I am Mr Labatt Victor, I work with the European diplomatic league, packaging and courier dept. During the air-lift of some ministerial/immune luggage from Middle East aboard Quota air via our head office in Europe en-route Far East, we discovered an inclusion of additional unbranded & unlabeled luggage containing some weighty valuables, on scanning we uncovered it was official defaced sealed cash laundering and I took it away. Since it was not officially register amounts the list of the diplomatic baggage, I ordered it be taken out by my confidant courier, back in town on opening it we discovered the properly concealed faced sealed us dollars notes of $2m (two million USA), inside the trunk is labeled "photographic equipment" maybe for security reasons.Meanwhile I had since ordered it to be deposited with a security fault in one of the security vaults in the city. There is no doubt that this shall be appropriated for our own benefit. Therefore I am obliged to contact you to assist us in getting this luggage contained fine tune to make it use able and handle the security company delivery procedures. Thereafter it will be delivered to you from the agent as we have agreed on the following terms; That you will be entitled to a reasonable share of the total money;That some fair share of the total money will be set aside for sundry expenses;and The greater portion of the total money shall be for me and my colleagues. If this business transaction is ok by you, you can e-mail me and also furnish me with your full personal information and your corresponding mailing address to enhance easier communication and onward transfer to the security company in Europe. All relevant documents to back up the claim of the luggage will be provided for you hence we advice you to keep the entire transaction close to yourself until you must have received the luggage contend at your end or in your bank account please. For security reasons other modalities will Be discussed as soon as you get back to me. Yours faithfully, Labatt Victor

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