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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: "FILLIPPO PILAVIOS" <filippo@alphabanklondon.net>
Reply-To: pilavios213@yahoo.gr
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 08:09:39 +0000
Subject: Important

From: The Desk of Mr FILLIPPO Pilavios
ACC DEPT,
Alpha Bank
66 Cannon St,

Tel/Fax: +448712390451


Good day ,

MUTUAL AGREEMENT

After much consideration I decided to contact you. I am Mr. FILLIPPO
Pilavios from Greece posted to London to work as the head of Account dept
Alpha Bank London.During a routine check on a dormant account I discovered a
dormant domiciliary account with the sum of $4,450,000.00(Four million,
four hundred and fiftyThousand Dollars) belonging to a customer with the
name Mr. Gordons Zakari.

This amount has been deposited for about 9 years without any known
withdrawal.After proper investigation and records search it became very
clear that the real owner of these funds is Mr. Rahid Abdul a member of the
ousted regime of Saddam Hussein. I was able to get this fact because most
members of that ousted barbaric Regime deposited funds using nonexistent
names and invalid addresses in order not to be traced and the same name was
used to create the confiscated accounts with HSBC Brazil.

I am the only person here that has found out this fact and have decided to
get this funds transferred out of this bank. Turning these funds over to the
government is not a advisable because I have lost a cousin in that war which
has lost its justification moreover it will still end up been used for the
same purpose (war). The best option is to transfer these funds to a very
safe account of a businessperson and this is just why I am contacting you.
Please be very calm, as I know this letter might me very shocking but it is
just the fact and you do not need to worry for I will ensure that this
business succeed as long as I get your support. I will want a situation
where you provide a safe account so we can wire this funds directly to the
account. What we need to do is to arrange/notarize some documents to assume
that Mr. Gordons Zakari. (since he does not exist) is late and make you the
next of kin to the deceased person then we will tender an application for
claim. With my position here I will ensure that everything works out to our
advantage. This should be kept to your self-alone for you have just gotten a
Lifetime opportunity. Please do not expose it to a third party due to my
position here.. After receipt of a satisfactory response I will send across
to you full details and mode of sharing.
You can call me on +447040117931
Yours faithfully
Mr. FILLIPPO Pilavios
FILLIPPO


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