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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: "Kenneth Wiggins" <support@sienna.pobox.com>
Reply-To: <jjmg0000@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2013 09:52:17 -0500
Subject: Yet to hear from you

Hello,

I have earlier sent you this message but did not receive your response, hence my decision to resend it.
My name is Kenneth Wiggins, from London, UK. I am a civil engineer working for the Government of my country. I am an Architect by profession and I handle the Award/Supervision of all major housing and road contracts undertaken by my ministry. I have in the course of my work acquired a certain amount of money which amounts to GB?18.650m and which I would like to invest in your country with your help. As to the origin of this fund, it was an over-invoiced contract sum which my department supervised. The contract has been successfully completed and the main contractor has been paid his original amount charged for the contract. This amount of GB?18.650M is what I intend to move to your country for investment. Meanwhile, under special arrangement, the fund has been deposited and gazetted to be paid out to a sub-contractor.

Herein lies the main reason why I contacted you and also would want to go into a joint-business venture with you. I will present your person to stand as the sub-contractor hence the true beneficiary to the funds. Upon your acceptance to partner with me, I shall proceed to obtain necessary contractual documents establishing the fact of a contract sub-contracted to you (your company). All documents of proof of this fact shall be obtained in your favour through the appropriate authority establishing you as the sub-contractor to whom such deposit is made for. Be informed that my civil status at this time does not allow me to own nor operate any foreign investment or foreign account, hence the necessity to contact you in this regard.

I shall wait to hear from you today to know from you if you understood all I explained to you here as regards the funds, and the procedure to get it transferred to you after which, we shall discuss possible lucrative venture for investment. If you will be willing to handle these funds for me, then reply immediately so that we can proceed.

I await your quick response.

K. W.

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