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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Mariam Abacha" <contactmabacha@circlemail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: contactmariamabacha@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 12:48:22 +0100
Subject: FROM MRS MARIAM ABACHA - Urgent

Good day,
With warm heart I offer my friendship, and greetings, and I hope this mail meets you in good time. However strange or surprising this contact might seem to you, as we have not met personally or had any dealings in the past, I humbly ask that you take due consideration of its importance and immense benefit. I also sincerely seek your confidence, as I make this proposal to you as a person of integrity.
I am Mrs. Mariam Abacha, the widow of the late Gen. Sanni Abacha former Nigeria Military Head of State who died mysteriously as a result of Cardiac Arrest. I am contacting you to assist in retrieving a certain sum of amount deposited in a security company by my late husband , This fund has to be claimed before it gets confiscated because the security company doesn't know that the content of the consignment is cash because on the day of deposit we declared it as family valuables and personal effects because we never want them to know the true content of the consignment.
The security company has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the consignment confiscated within the next few weeks and this very money is too big for me to allow it to be confiscated by the authority. Now I seek your consent, to present you as the next of kin for the release of the consignment to us.
I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin, as my lawyer will carefully work out all documentations for the funds to be released in your favor as the beneficiary next of kin with the help of my lawyer. Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavor by furnishing me with your full names, address and direct contact numbers so that all necessary documents will be in your favour for the release of the funds.
These requirements will enable my lawyer file letter of claim to the appropriate departments of the security company for necessary approvals in your favor before the transfer can be made.I therefore personally, appeal to you Seriously and religiously for your urgent assistance to move this money into your country where I believe it will be safe since I cannot leave the country now due to the restriction of movement imposed on the members of my family by the Nigeria Government.
I shall compensate you with 20% share of the total amount of the fund, while 75% goes to me, and the remaining 5% for expenses incurred during the transaction. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to make this claim. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I am not imposing this transaction on you; it is a thing of self-willingness.
After going through the proposal and understanding it very well, get back to me immediately so that we can start as follows:
1) I will send to you the contact of the security company, the deposited code, for you to call for verification if such deposit really exists.
2) The claim will require your physical presentation at the security company.
Please contact me through this email address: contactmabacha@yahoo.com
Looking forward in hearing from you.
rgds,
Mrs.Mariam Abacha.
NOTE: WHY I CONTACTED YOU NOW IS THE CURRENT APPEAL BY OUR PRESIDENT CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO TO THE WORLD LEADERS ON THE UNITED NATION ORGANISATION MEETING IN NEW YORK CITY (USA) TO ASSIST IN RETURING MY HUSBAND FUND IN FOREIGN ACCOUNTS.





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