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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: "URGENT INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE PLEASE VIEW MESSAGE" <Oswald@sul.com.br>
Reply-To: "URGENT INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE PLEASE VIEW MESSAGE" <almahdibarak121@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:07:02 -0300
Subject: URGENT INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE PLEASE VIEW MESSAGE

--

Dear Friend

You may be surprise to receive this mail since you don’t know me personally,
but with due respect, trust and humility, I write to you this proposal. I am
Mr. AL-MAHDI barak he son of Mr. Tariq AL-MAHDI of Darfur Sudan. It is
indeed my pleasure to contact you for assistance of a business venture which
I intend to establish in your country.

I got your contact while I was doing a private research on the Internet for
a reliable and capable foreign partner that will assist me and my family to
transfer fund to your personal or private account for investment purpose
Though I have not met with you before, but considering the recent political
instabilities in my country, I believe one has to risk confiding in success
sometimes in life.

There is this huge amount of money ( US$18 Million.) EIGHTEEN MILLION UNITED
STATES DOLLARS ) which my late Father deposited here in South Africa
awaiting claim before he was assassinated by unknown persons during this war
in Darfur Sudan.

Now I have decided to invest this money in your country or anywhere safe for
security and political reasons. I want you to help me retrieve this money
for onward transfer to any designated bank account of your choice for
investment purposes on these areas below:
1) Transport Industry
2) Mechanized agriculture.
3} Estate investment

I will then furnish you with more details and I have mutually agreed to
compensate you with 30% which is your share for assisting me, and 5% for any
expenses that might be incurred by both parties in the course of the
transaction. Then the remaining 65% will be for me and my family, which you
will help us to invest in your country. Please, you can contact me through
this Email almahdibarak121@gmail.com
.or call +27620297003
all I require is your honest & kind co-operation. I will give you further
details as soon as you show interest in helping me.
I wait for your kind consideration to my proposal.
Best Regards,
Mr. AL-MAHDI barak

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