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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: leonard_newman@tiscali.co.uk
Reply-To: leonard_newman@fadmail.co.uk
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2004 01:14:10 +0200
Subject: I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE

DEAR FRIEND,
COMPLIMENT OF THE DAY.I HOPE THIS MESSAGE WILL REACH
YOU IN THE BEST OF HEALTH AND I HOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION
EVEN
AS WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY CORESPONDENCE BEFORE. I
GOT YOUR ADDRESS THROUGH MY PRIVATE SEARCH FOR A
RELIABLE,TRUSTWORTHY AND CAPABLE HAND TO
HANDLE A TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE. I AM
SOLICITING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO SECURE US$45.3 MILLION INTO A
PERSONAL ACCOUNT.
PLEASE I HUMBLE STRESS THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE
TRANSACTION AND ASSURES ITS GENEUITY AS I BELIEVE IT
IS LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
I AM LEONARD NEWMAN, A POLITICAL ADVISER ON LEGAL MATTER
TO PRESIDENT CHARLES TAYLOR, THE EMBATTLED PRESIDENT
OF LIBERIA. AS A RESULT OF THE CRISIS/CIVIL WAR IN
LIBERIA, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ASKED
PRESIDENT CHARLES TAYLOR TO LEAVE LIBERIA BEFORE HE
COULD SEND PEACEKEEPING FORCE TO LIBERIA.
THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA, CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO
VISITED LIBERIA TO OFFER CHARLES TAYLOR POLITICAL ASYLUM AND AFTER THE
MEETING
OF ECOWAS HEADS OF STATES IN GHANA, PRESIDENT TAYLOR WAS ASKED TO LEAVE
LIBERIA BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF PEACE KEEPING FORCE FROM NIGERIA.
FINALLY, AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT, THE SUM OF
($45.3M) FOURTY-FIVE MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS
WAS MOVED TO NIGERIA BY DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY AND
DEPOSITED IN A SECURITY COMPANY OF NIGERIA FOR THE
SAFE KEEPING OF HIS FAMILY AND INVESTMENT AFTER THE
SITUATION IN LIBERIA MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT TO CALM.
THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE SEEKING FOR YOUR
ASSISTANCE AND PERMISSION TO REMIT THIS SAID SUM INTO
YOUR ACCOUNT. YOUR COMMISSION WILL BE 23% OF THE
TOTAL SUM OR COULD BE NEGOTIABLE, PLEASE NOTIFY ME ON
YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO CARRY OUT THIS TRANSACTION
URGENTLY BY WRITING ME THROUGH EMAIL: FOR FURTHER
DETAILS ON THE RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE.
I SHALL IN TURN INFORM YOU OF THE MODALITIES ON HOW THE
CONSIGNMENTS WILL BE RECEIVED BY YOU OR HOW THE
TRANSFER WILL TAKE PLACE
THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
LEONARD.M. NEWMAN.






__________________________________________________
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