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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: "Nuhu Sahin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bris.mohammed@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2012 08:40:40 +0100
Subject: I plan to activate the account with your name as the original depositor SUP

Dear Sir/Madam
I hope this letter meets you in good health. I am in control of
 
US$15,500,000.00 deposited in my bank by the Late Libyan leader
 
Gaddafi.
The fund is being held under a Non-investment account without the
 
Gaddafi Family's name as the late Gaddafi instructed that the funds be
 
kept TOP SECRET until he decides what to do with it.
As the Gaddafi’s Account Officer and manager of this branch of Public
 
Bank, I plan to activate the account with your name as the original
 
depositor and then process outward remittance of the funds to you.
You will get 35% of the total funds for your role plus investment of my
 
portion under a documented working agreement.
Please get back to me with your response alongside your physical
 
contact address/telephone number and we will move quickly to consummate
 
the deal.
I am presently attending a Seminar in the United Kingdom and would like
 
you to contact me immediately via my email.
 
With regards,
Nuhu Sahin
Public Bank,
Malaysia
 

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