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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: "MOHAMMED ABACHA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <abachamohhh@centrum.sk>
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2010 20:23:34 +0100
Subject: FAMILY'S ESTATE

Compliments,

In a drive to ensure the safety of family Funds for safe keeping and
investment, I wish to inform you that all necessary modalities have been
concluded and the funds have left to Europe last week by Express Cargo
Flight (Diplomatic Delivery Agency). Note carefully the content of the
crates is money \"U.S Dollar $14 Million Cash\" but I did not disclose it
to the Courier Services as Money, rather I informed them that the crates
contains Vital \"DOCUMENTS AND EXPENSIVE AFRICA ART WORK\" belonging to a
family friend and also business partner (that's you).

On no account should you disclose the content of the crate (Two Trunk Box)
with the Diplomatic Courier Services for fear of betrayal. So do not allow
them to know that the content is money you have to bear in mind my family
situation and the fact that I am still under surveillance by the
government.

Please note that the deposit papers are ready and will be forwarded in due
course.

Please send me your contact address and also full name and phone number.

Best Regards.

Yours faithfully,
Mohammed Abacha.

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