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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: "From A Datti" <ahmedatti44@yahoo.co.in> (may be fake)
Reply-To: amdatti@eramail.co.za
Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 23:11:25 -0800
Subject: Good-day

SIR,
PLEASE REFER YOUR ACCEPTANCE MAIL FOR QUICK ATTENTION
ON THIS ADDRESS:tahmed@iname.com
MY NAME IS MR. T, AHMED DATTI. I WORK WITH THE INLAND BANK OF NIGERIA PLC AS A GROUP HEAD TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

IN THE DISCHARGE OF MY DUTY, I STUMBLED ON THIS DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT THAT HAS REMAINED DORMANT FOR SIX MONTHS NOW WITH TEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($10.5M) IN IT.

ON PERSONAL INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE ACCOUNT HOLDER DIED IN AUTOCRASH ACCIDENT WITH THE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WHO SHOULD BE THE NEXT
OF KIN TO THE AMOUNT.

I AM WRITING YOU SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO REMIT THIS AMOUNT OF
MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE NEXT OF KIN HENCE THE DEPOSITOR HAPPENED
TO BE A FOREIGNER.

IT IS SIMPLE PROCESS WHICH WILL TAKE A SHORT WHILE TO PROCESS. OUTSIDE
THIS, THE BANK MANAGEMENT WILL RETURN SAME AS CURRENT ASSET OR
CONFISCATE THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AS UNCLEARED EFFECTS AND SEND BACK TO THE
NIGERIAN DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ACCOUNT.

IF I HEAR FROM YOU, I WILL TELL YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MONEY AND THE OPERATIONAL METHOD WE CAN USE TO EFFECT THE REMITANCE INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT.
BEST REGARDS,
T. AHMED DATTI



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