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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: "Prince Abdul Hakeem Bolkiah" <princeabdulhakeembo@ymail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:10:24 -0200
Subject: RE:THANKS...

Good Day,

Greetings to you, I got your contact detail via business guide of your country.

Based on the further explicit investment information about your country from my
research, i wish to invest in your country under your supervision.

I am Prince Abdul Hakeem Bolkiah, the son of Prince Jeffrey Bolkiah former finance
minister of Brunei, the tiny oil-rich sultanate on the Gulf Island of Borneo. I save
your time by not amplifying my extended royal family history, which has already been
disseminated by the international media during the controversial dispute that erupted
between my father and his step brother, the sultan of Brunei Sheik Muda Hassanal Bolkiah.

As you may know from the international media, the sultan had accused my father of
financial mismanagement and impropriety of US$14.8 Billion dollars; this was as a result
of the Asian Financial crisis that made my father’s company (Amedeo Development
Corporation) to be declared bankrupt during his tenure in the office.

However my father was kept under house arrest, his bank accounts and private Properties
including a crude oil export refinery were later confiscated by the sultanate.
Furthermore, during this unfortunate period, I was advised to evacuate my immediate
family outside the country to avoid further prosecution from the sultan and his security
operatives, but unfortunately for me i was arrested and placed under house arrest by the
Sultan, presently i have not access to a phone but I have a Palm hand-held computer from
which I am sending you this mail. Some of the guards here are still loyal to me, so they
would be my contact with you if there is any document I need to send to you to enable
you have access to these funds and invest it for me.

Before I was incarcerated, I have already dispatched the sum of Forty Million United
States Dollars {$40,000,000.00} in cash To Security Company In United Kingdom for safe
keeping abroad, which I will disclose to you immediately you declare your interest.

I seek your good assistance to invest these funds into profitable investment in your
country to facilitate future survival for my family abroad. After due deliberation with
my aids we have decided to offer 20% of these funds to you as compensation for your
strong cooperation while certain percentage have been mapped out for both local and
international expenses that may be incurred during this transaction. Please I count on
your absolute confidentiality, transparency and trust, while looking forward to your
prompt reply towards a swift conclusion of this transaction.

You can visit the following website for a better understanding of this situation:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Jefri_Bolkiah

During this dispensation please I count on your absolute confidentiality, transparency
and trust while looking forward to your prompt reply towards a swift conclusion of this
transaction.

Finally, your financial compensation will be 20% of the total cash. That is 20% of the
{$40,000,000.00}

Regards,
Prince Abdul Hakeem Bolkiah.

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