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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: MICHEAL ALRED <tonywoodgate_77@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: MICHEAL ALRED <michealafred2020@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 11:38:11 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: GREETINGS !!!


 Hello ,
I fully understand that you receive emails like these daily, but please mine is not a joke or a scam. I know very well about scam people play, because am a banker, I see things every day Am Hon.Micheal Alfred ,I work with a bank here in Togo as a branch manager,the last time in 2007 the late Gadaffi visited Togo with his aids for the (AU) meeting then,two of his security men came to open a secret dollars account with my branch, and I was the person who attended to both of them.what was deposited inside the both accounts then was huge $4 million dollars each. when the account was opened I took all the opening forms to meet them at their guest house, because they do not want to use their real names to open the bank account even the pictures was not their real pictures. all arrangements was done properly for them because I was the branch manager.
why am writing these proposal to you is because I want to leave the bank work and do something else on my own very soon. so I need to act fast and change both accounts details, to your own name, which will allow you to have full access of the account from anywhere in the world, and make transfer from my bank branch to your own account anywhere you want it. even the account ATM card will be sent to you and with the ATM card, you can redraw from any machine anywhere you are.but the condition is myself and yourself will share the funds equally after we must have moved out all the funds in both accounts to a private account chosen by you.
You do not need to be afraid am the branch manager,I will do my home work well, am the only person the bank can confirm from if they ask to find out anything about the account. I did some investigations about the two aids of the late Gadaffi,and found out that both of them died during the war in Libya.so it is my chance to act fast and do the business with you, because nobody can come for the claim of the funds if I resign, am the only person to testify and present the real owners.  I will do all the paper work in your name and even change the signature documents to be same with yours. i will want to see a reply from you, showing your interest and a promise that you will not fail or disappoint me when all is set.I don’t need to explain to you that these matter should be kept as a top secret, nobody should see these email apart from you please.
Waiting for your reply with your direct numbers. then I will tell you the next action we should take because in 5 banking days we will smile, that is if you comply.Please reply to my private box at michealafred2020@gmail.com for security reasons.
Best RegardHon.Micheal AlfredDirect Line:+22891045806 

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