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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: Engineer Ghassan <mlholy1948@liverootes.com>
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 2010 06:29:56 -0800 (PST)
Subject: hallo






Hello Partner.

I am an engineer Mike Ghassan from Tullow Oil Company Plc West Africa Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast. I hereby attempt to reach you through your private e-mail, regarding a request for your cooperation to transfer ten point five million U.S. dollars in your bank account in your country.
 
We want you to help us and receive this fund in your Bank account as a contractor who run a project of laying an oil pipe lines for our company and he/she will be the one to receive the said Ten Point Five Million USA Dollars from our Company as a contractor who has finished laying an oil pipeline for our Company.
Meanwhile, we are ready to offer 20% stake amounting to U.S. $ 2,100.000.00 and 5% will be outlined from the sum total of the fund for any expenses that both parties can be displayed during the transfer of this fund in your bank account. And another 5% will go for Motherless babes home.
Note that:  this business is a deal and also 100% risk free, I hope you will be capable and if you consider yourself capable of running this project together with us and also to handle it confidentiality with us. So as you read our mail  and find yourself interested to execute this deal together with us,  Please kindly forward to us your Bank details information to enable us submit it to our Company here for approval and also to enable the bank proceed further in transferring the said fund into your nominated bank account without any delay.
However, you have to ensure us your word and also ready to go into agreement with us that; you will not elope with our fund after fund has being transfer into your bank account.  If you agree to our terms, kindly as a matter of urgency send a reply in regards of our mail.
Looking forward to read from you soon
Best Regards
Engineer Mike Ghassan.

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