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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: "Office of the Ministry Of Finance" <praess_g@t-online.de>
Reply-To: <ananwobia_fmf@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 01:12:45 -0700
Subject: Good Day

Office of the Ministry Of Finance
Federal Republic of Nigeria
 
Dear  Sir/Madam
 
I am Anastasia Nwaobia Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry Of Finance Nigeria. My office monitors, controls as well approves the affairs of contract executed in the with the Federal Government. I am the final signatory to any transfer or remittance of huge funds on contracts and other related affairs both on the local and the international scenes.
 
I have before me a list of funds, which could not be paid to some beneficiaries as these funds have been identified either as ghost funds, unclaimed deposits and over-invoiced contract sums etc.A name similar to yours was among the names of people expecting funds to be transferred into their accounts regarding contracts abandoned/executed and long forgotten by previous governments here,On this note, I wish to have a business deal with you regarding the unpaid funds. I have the file before me and hope you have the capacity to transact this business with me and I am hoping you can confirm it.
 
As it is my duty to recommend the payment of these surplus funds to the Federal Government's Treasury and Reserve Accounts as unclaimed deposits, I also have the legal ability to decide / advise the Government where they can go to. It is on this premise that I now have the opportunity to write you based on the instructions I received few days ago from the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ministry of Finance to submit the List of payment reports / expenditures and audited reports of contracts revenues.
Among several others, I have decided to remit the contract sum to your nominated bank account for equitable sharing between you and I, following my idea that we have a deal / agreement and I am going to do this legally.
 
MY CONDITIONS:
 
(1) I will approve the sum of USD$25 Million dollars only to be paid into your account as the beneficiary of this fund, then I will give you the information documents of this fund and how you go about it.  I will come over to your country  to  take my share of the fund.
 
(2)This deal must be kept secret and all correspondence will be strictly by email and Telephone, for security purposes.
 
(3)There should be no third parties as you must note that in my capacity as the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry Of Finance, I am only seeing to my comfortable retirement and I don't want to endanger my position  or tarnish my image.
 
If you agree with my conditions, l will advise you on what to do immediately and the deal will commence without delay as I will proceed to affix your name on the Payment schedule instantly to meet the Seven days mandate. I hope you don't reject this offer and have these funds transferred to your account.
 
Hoping to hearing from you soonest.
 
Best Regards,
 
Anastasia Nwaobia (Mrs)
Permanent Secretary
Federal Ministry of Finance
Nigeria

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