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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: "HAMZA MALI" <hanmzamli@z6.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: hhamzamali@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2005 20:30:36 +0400
Subject: RESPONSE REQUIRED

Dear Sir,

Please let this letter not come to you as a surprise,since I have never written to you before. I got your contact through prayers and effort in locating your profile on the Internet.

I am Lt. Col. HAMZA O.MALI.,the Chief Security Officers to the Late president of Lomé Republic of Togo, President Gnassingbe Eyadema, following the Death of the president on 5th Feb. 2005, after a terrible illness.

Following the crises in my country because of the interim government led by Mr. Faure Gnassingbe, the first son of the late president,who later succeeded his father as president of the Republic of Togo, I sneaked away from my country with value of US$10.5M (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) contained in a sealed metallic box, being part of the fund meant for the purchase of arms and armunition, but being kept under my custody as Chief Security Officer, before the death of our president.

Right now I am in my country Lomé Togo, and have deposited the box with a private safe keeping house in out side the country under the declaration as family valuables.

My reason of writing you is to seek your consent/ approval to use your Personal/Company Name and Bank details to move this fund out, because my name, being a big political African family name, will expose my possession of this funds.
Very important note reply immediately to : ( hamzamali150@hotmail.com <mailto:hamzamali150@hotmail.com> <mailto:hamza_mali@fastermail.com>
) .

Upon my receipt of your acceptance we will negotiate your percentage interest for your involvement and my intended area of investment and other conditions.

Please treat this message strictly confidential.

Best Regards.

Lt. Col. HAMZA O.MALI


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