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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: MICHAEL HIMBOAH <williamsdavis.absabank.intermdpt@gmail.com>
Reply-To: michaelhimboah11@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 07:47:48 -0800
Subject: Please reply as soon as possible.

>From Mr. Michael Himboah

Add: 70 Marshall Street,

Johannesburg, 2001.

Greeting!

I am Mr. Michael Himboah, The Bill and Exchange manager ABSA BANK OF SOUTH
AFRICA and I am contacting you on a business transfer of a huge sum of
money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this
magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you
that all will be well at the end of the day. I decided to contact you due
to the urgency of this transaction.

PROPOSITION:

I discovered an abandoned sum of US$11,650,000.00 (Eleven Million Six
hundred and fifty thousand United States dollars) in an account that
belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire
family in a car accident. Since his death, none of his next of kin or
relations has come forward to lay claims for this money as the heir. We
cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim
as the next of kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.
Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next
of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out
by me for the funds of (US$11,650,000.00) to be released in your favor as
the beneficiary's next of kin. It may interest you to know that I have
secured from the probate an order of mandamus to locate any of deceased
beneficiaries.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual
business endeavor by furnishing me with the following:

1. Beneficiary full name and address:

2. Direct Telephone and fax numbers:

These requirements will enable me file letter of claim to the appropriate
departments for necessary approvals in your favor before the transfer can
be made. I shall be compensating you with three million five hundred
thousand dollars on final conclusion of this project, while the rest shall
be for my investment purposes in your country that you will propose to me.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, I am waiting your positive respond
so I can explain more to you about the transfer modalities and procedures.

Please reply as soon as possible.

Regards,

Mr. Michael Himboah.

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