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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: "Lukman Abel" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <t_presidency@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2015 20:35:05 +0100
Subject: The true position of your fund

Attention!!
 
Dear Sir/Ma
 
I am Mr.Lukman Abel, assistant director “foreign operations” Zenith Bank Plc. I write this email to tell you the true position of your financial matter with our bank and also the reason why you have not received your fund. I have this opportunity to relate with you because the director of foreign operations went for one (1) month leave and all power has been vested on me to handle foreign payments. As I was going through foreign payment files, I find out that the reason why it has been difficult for you to receive your fund is because of the method of payment applied by the director of foreign operations to transfer your fund, hence information of your fund payment passed through the Central Control Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance and also office of the Accountant General of the Federation for authentication. Why such method of payment is not safe for you is because it is not done within our bank alone and for this reason you are subject to pay huge amount of fee before the transfer of your fund will
But since the power has been vested on me to handle foreign payments, I have nothing to gain should your fund continue to remain in the custody of our bank and beside office of the presidency on foreign financial matters gave our bank 14 days ultimatum from Tuesday this week to conclude foreign payments approved by the federal government via our bank or return the funds to the federation account. Therefore, be assured to receive your fund through the easiest and quickest method. By this method, you will open a domiciliary account with our bank and your fund will be credited into the domiciliary account for onward direct transfer to your local bank account and of which the fund will hit your local bank account within 48hrs or latest 72hrs. This method of payment is done within our bank alone and it is very safe.
You will receive more details upon receipt of your response.
Regards,
Mr.Lukman Abel
Assistant Director
Foreign Operations
 

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