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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: Ken Williams <w_ken31@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Ken Williams <mrknwilliams@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2014 15:41:58 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Greetings!! ( Business Deal )


Dear Friend,

I plead your forgiveness over my unconventional approach to you regarding this matter, It is with trust and confidence that i write to make this urgent business proposal to you, please treat it like a blood brother affair.
 
I contacted you to seek for your assistance to assist me in providing a convenient foreign account in any designated bank abroad for the transfer of US$25,000,000.00 (Twenty-five Million Dollars) pending on my arrival in your country for utilization and disbursement with you.
 
>From a deliberate inflation of the value of a contract awarded by our ministry - the Federal Ministry of agriculture (F.M.A) here in Nigeria to an expatriate company. The contract has been executed and payment made to the original contractor, remaining the over-invoiced amount of US$25 million us dollars which i want to transfer out of the country in my favor for disbursement between me and you, the transfer of this money can only be possible with the help of a foreigner who will be presented as the beneficiary of the fund. As government officials, we are not allowed to operate foreign accounts, and this is the reason why I decided to contact you.
 
I have agreed that if you/your company can act as the beneficiary of this fund (US$25 Million). It will be transferred into your account and you will retain 30% of the total amount for your assistance, while 70% will be reserved for me. I hereby solicit for your assistance in providing a convenient account number in a designated bank where this fund would be transferred. I intend coming over there on the completion of this transfer to secure our share of the money.
Please note that I have been careful and have made all arrangements towards the success and smooth transfer of the fund to your account before contacting you.
For security reasons and confidentiality of this transaction, I demand that you should not expose this proposal and the entire transaction to anybody. I have put in so much trust in you with the hope that you would not betray me or sit on this money when it is finally transferred into your account.
 
Is rest assured that this transaction is 100% risk free? If this proposal is acceptable to you, indicate your interest urgently by contacting immediately.More details about this transaction will be given to you as soon as I receive your positive response.
 
Note that the particular nature of your company's business is irrelevant to this transaction, If this transaction interests you, your urgent response will be appreciated.
 
Yours faithfully,
Ken Williams
Audit/Account Department
Federal Ministry of Agriculture (F.M.A)










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