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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: Ibrahim Zongo <ibrahimzongo21@aol.fr>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:01:28 +0100 (BST)
Subject: VERY URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL


                                                      TOP SECRET
           REMITTANCE OF US$15,200,000.00 CONFIDENTIAL IS THE CASE.
 
I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise as we never met before. I am the Director in charge of Auditing section of Bank of African (B.O.A), I Hoped that you will not expose or betray this trust and confident that I am about to repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both families. I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of Fifteen Millions, Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$15.200, 000.00) immediately to your account.
 
The fund has been dormant (in-active) for years in our Bank here without any body coming for it. I want you to apply for release of the fund to you as the nearest person to our deceased customer Mr. Joseph f.grillo from Atlanta America (the owner of the account) who died along with his supposed next of kin in 2001 American attack. I don't want the fund to go into our Bank treasury as an abandoned fund, so this is the reason why I contacted you, so that my Bank will release the fund to you as the nearest person to the deceased customer.
 
Please I would like you to keep this proposal as a top secret and delete it if you are not interested. Upon receipt of your reply, I will send you the application form you will fill and send to the bank for transfer of the fund into your bank account and also note that you will have 40% of the above mentioned amount if you agree to help me execute this business. And also 10% had been mapped out for you for the expense you will make in this transaction and 50% is for me. I need your information’s so that I will send you the application form.
 
                                                YOUR FULL INFORMATIONS
Your Full Name
 Age
Marital Statuses
Privet Phone Number
Country
 Occupation
  Sex
 Religion
  Photo or Local Identity
 
I am looking forward to hear from you.
 
Best Regards,
 
Mr.Ibrahim Zongo
(B.O.A) BANK OF AFRICA
 

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