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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: george <alberto33george@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: alberto99george@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:57:21 +0100 (BST)
Subject: I am a deaf: Please help me to recover my inheritance for mutual profits!




I am a deaf: Please help me to recover my inheritance for mutual profits!

My name is Alberto George, and I am writing you from my home in Santa Clara, about 165 miles east of Havana, the Capital City of Cuba. Santa Clara is known for two landmarks; The famous Revolutionary, Che Guevera is buried here; and it is home to one of Cuba's largest universities, La Universidad Central "Martha Abreu" de Las Villas. This is a compelling story, and I beg you to be patient and read through to the end.I was adopted in 1962, at age 14 months by Mr. Giovanni George, the Sugar and tobacco millionaire; some say he also made his fortune from the lucrative illicit drugs trade. My adoption brought so much controversy (probably because I am black and A deaf, my family did not know that I am a deaf until the age of 5), that Mr. George was forced by his family to put me into a foster home at age 5, where I stayed until maturity; Like most Cuban youths,I dreamt of freedom, which every one here knows is called America; like most youths, in time, I
joined an Anti-Castro group and that merited automatic 24 hours round the clock surveillance by the Secret Police, but this is also normal in Cuba! Mr. George, my father nevertheless funded my education through the above mentioned university,where I graduated in Automobile Engineering. I am now a mechanic, making just enough to take care of my wife Maria, and 3 boys, Junior, Jose, and Giovanni.Sadly, My father died in 1996; left only his wife and family (he died childless),and I was not invited to his funeral by his family, but we mourned him deeply;I had no memory of my real father; but I loved him for his kindness to me; he frequently defied his family to visit me When I got married,he gave my wife a ring present which we later found out was diamond ring!His Last Will and testament was read and probated. No mention was made of me and my family. Understandably,I carried on with my life.

The manager of this firm in his letter apologized to me for waiting so long to contact me; information of my father's death simply did not reach him until a chance newspaper publication alerted him of the fact.I was then invited to come forward to Ivory Coarst In Africa, to claim my Inheritance or arrange with them to ship the consignment to my designated area! The total current value of my shares now after being sold and deposited in a private security company stand at approximately USD45 million! But this simple invitation to travel to Ivory Coarst or arrange to ship the consignment to Cuba is fraught with problems! I have no International Passport! It is impossible to travel out of Cuba, unless with special permission which will of course take months of paperwork to procures an Anti-Castro sympathizers,

I desperately need your help! I need you to contact the Ivory Coarst Security Company on my behalfas the "CONSIGNEE"; secure the the money and arrange to ship the consignment to you. Once the money is shipped to you and secured, I will make the usual underground deal to be smuggled out of Cuba by aircraft, to freedom! There is absolutely NO RISK to you in this transaction; I and my family are the ones at risk; In consideration of your assistnce during the course of this transaction, I freely offer you 30% of the total fund. If you are willing to help me recover my inheritance, please so indicate in your return reply mail and I will follow up with more details of the Ivory coarst Company contact address and also more details of the shippment and the process arranged. You will then contact the Ivory coarst Security Deposit Company/Shipping Company and thereafter schedule to ship the consignment to you as the "CONSIGNEE" to close the deal on my behalf and
put the USD45million safely into the Banking system or safe custody and I will arrange immediately with my family to leave CUBA to meet you in your country for the share of the money and for Investment purposes!

Looking forward to your urgent reply,

Sincerely,
Alberto George and Family,

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