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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: "Mr. Ernest Ebi" (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:56:30 +1000
Subject: Re; Unpaid contract/Inheritance sum-why you have not succeeded

Re; Unpaid contract/Inheritance sum-why you have not succeeded

After waiting to hear from you or your Nigeria partners for a long time now, I decided to make this direct approach to you in other not to let it be as if I have anything in mind against you. I do not know if you have asked yourself why each time the release of this fund is approved, all of a sudden, the payment will be stopped or one problem or the other will come up. If you have not asked this question or you do not know, this is an opportunity for me to tell you.

Sometime ago, your Nigerian friend I mean the people that introduced you to this project approached me through my dear wife who works with the Federal Ministry of Finance and asked me to assist them conclude a money transfer deal they had with you, they requested me to assist them by removing the original name, company’s name and the bank particulars from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Vetting and replacing them with your name and your bank details in order to make you appear as the rightful beneficiary of this funds. I agreed on conditions that they would pay me US$300,000 as soon as your name appears as the beneficiary.

I did as agreed and demanded to be paid but your friends started giving me excuses. They even told me that you promised to send money to me, do you know that up till now, I have not received a single cent from them and have not set my eyes on any of them.

Based on their attitude, I decided to stop the funds release movement because I cannot be denied of my right in my own office considering the risk as it might affect my job.

Why I am making this clear to you is that I can see that you are still making frantic efforts to conclude this project. Now I am ready to forget the past. I do not need the US$300,000 any longer from you but a good compensation from your mind. I need your assurance that your colleagues will be totally kept out of this transaction.

I know quite well that none of them is aware of my new approach to you Stop spending your money unnecessarily to CBN Officers both here and overseas because you will not receive this money without my hand in it. I personally perfected the change of the documents at the very beginning and only I can perform it. The secret is that your partners failed to stamp duty your transfer documents.

Finally, I need your promise that no official of the Central Bank of Nigeria will be aware of my involvement in this regard because of my position. Now re-assure me that you will be willing to compensate me. That you will assist my wife to establish a foreign account in your country where my compensation will be deposited.

I am a man of my words, if you are ready to conclude this business with me, kindly contact so that I could give you more information over this issue once and for all. But if the reverse is the case, do not bother yourself to reach me.

Regards.
Mr.Chukwudi Ebi.
Deputy Governor
Foreign Operation & Inter Remittance Department (C.B.N)

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