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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: "JAMES EDWARD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jamesedward33444@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2011 11:39:24 -0400
Subject: ATTN: Sir /Madam iiii

James Edward
Lagos-Nigeria.
Tel : 234-1-7774535
ATTN: Sir /Madam


I know this will come to you as a surprise but never mind, I got your Contact in my search for a reputable and trust worthy person/Company,Who can stand confidently with me in this successful business Arrangement. Before I proceed, I will like to introduce my humble self To you.

I am the Auditor General of a Government Accredited Oil Company here in Nigeria. Certainly, the prompting of this letter to you is anchored on my strong desire to solicit your sincere understanding and co-operation in this Transaction that would certainly boost the financial stand of both parties involved when completed. As a matter of fact, we want to transfer to overseas (US$52,000.000.00 USD)fifty two million Unite States Dollars) from the Oil Company's operating Bank account here in Africa, I want you to quietly Look for a reliable and honest person who will be capable and fit to Provide either an existing bank account or to set up a new Bank A/C Immediately to receive this money, even an empty account can serve to Receive this money, as long as you will remain honest to me till the end Of this important transaction, trusting in you and believing in God That you will Never let me down either now or in the near future.

In all honesty, during the course of our auditing I discovered a Floating fund of the above mentioned amount in account opened with the Bank in 1990 and since then; nobody has operated on this account again, After going through some old files in the records I discovered that the Money in the account was mapped out for the refurbishment of the Oil Company's Machineries. Meanwhile, Mr. Magnus Leon, the President of the Oil company was the Only signatory to the account, but unfortunately he died after a brief Illness in 1993. And no other person knows about this account or any Thing concerning it, and the account has no other beneficiary. And my investigation proved to me that Mr. Magnus Leon, until his death Had wanted to siphoned that money into his personal account in New York Hence he did not disclose the operating devises of the account to the Board of Trustees.

I am only contacting you in this regard, based on the fact that you are A foreigner because, this money can only be approved to any foreigner Who can present all documents that will prove that he/she is the Next of Kin/Beneficiary to the account base on the fact that Mr. Magnus Leon The owner of this account is a foreigner, and the money can only be approved into a foreign bank Account. Therefore, if you are capable of handling this transaction with me, lets Make the necessary arrangement for the hitch-free transfer of this Money to any safe bank account that you may nominate, on a share Percentage bases. However, we shall sign a binding agreement, to bind us Together as partners in this regard.

I am revealing this to you with believe in God that you will never let Me down in this business, you are the first and the only person that I Am contacting for this business, so please reply urgently and indicate Your sincere interest, so that I can inform you on the modalities Already mapped out for the hitch-free transfer of the money out of Africa here.I will require your direct phone and fax number for easy contacting you I need your full co-operation to make this work adequately. Upon your Positive response and once I am convinced that you are capable and Willing to meet up with the instructions of the top bank official that is deeply involved with me in this business, I shall commence actions Immediately to process the payment of the money in your favor as the Beneficiary With my influence and the position of the bank official we can transfer This money to any reliable foreign bank account, which you can provide.

I am looking forward in anticipation to hearing from you soon as Possible.
Yours truly,

James Edward


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