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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: "Mark Edwards" <medwards541@msn.com>
Reply-To: mark_edwards@walla.com
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 13:11:57 +0000
Subject: Urgent Response

From the desk of:
MR MARK EDWARDS
FIRM CONSULTANCY
42 TENNANT STREET
EDINBURGH EH6 5NA
LOTHIAN UK.

ATTN:THE PRESIDENT/CEO

INVESTMENT PROPOSAL
Although this proposal might come to you as a surprise, since is from
someone you do not know or have seen before, but based on recomendations, i
gathered from a very reliable source here in the UK.
First and foremost I wish to introduce myself properly to you am Mr Mark
Edwards a Financial Consultant based in the Uk London, i run an
international Business Promotion and Consultancy firm and I got your contact
through the
internet in my quest for a foreign investment for one of my clients.

I have a client (a widow) she has $12.5MUSD Twelve Million Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars only, with a private Investment Trust Company
for safe keeping. And she is willing to offer you 20% of the total fund if
you
can assist her transfer this fund to your country or any Bank of your wish.
My client's Late husband is in the precious stone industry and owns mines in
Tanzania and Kenya. He also used to deal (buy and sell) in diamonds from
Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire) before international
ban was placed on diamonds from war torn countries before his death.
Hence her Wife decided to stop the diamond business and diversify the
investment portfolio by investing abroad in a different sector on
partnership basis.

The followings are her specifications for your consideration and immediate
attention:
(1)She wishes to invest in a stable economy.
(2)Her interest is in companies with potentials for rapid growth in
long terms
(3)My client is interested in placing part of her fund in your company, if
your country`s bi-laws allows foreign investment and she is willing to offer
you 30% for your assistance.
Please kindly note that you need not reply if you are not satisfied with the
above conditions as my client will prefer to deal with somebody serious as
the entire management and running of this venture will be the person's
responsibility, because it will not be possible for my client to be
physically present most of the time in view of her time consuming
commitments with her situation.
Upon your acceptance of this proposal,
Kindly give this proposal an urgent attention, as my client needs this
information as soon as possible.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr Mark Edwards.
Director.
N:B The fund is free from drug and laundering related offences and this
transaction needs utmost confidentiality.


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