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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: "DR. PAT OBI" <patobi08@swooshit.com>
Reply-To: patobi08@tsamail.co.za
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2005 11:27:44 +0000
Subject: DEAL FROM DIAMOND BANK PLC.

DEAL FROM DIAMOND BANK PLC.

Dear Friend.

Kindly accept my apology for sending unsolicited mail to you. Although we never met before, but I have a every reason to believe that you are a highly respected personality, considering the fact that I got your E-mail address through internet my network online, in my searching for a reliable and reputable person to handle this transaction, which involves huge sum of funds.

I am Dr. Pat Obi, an accountant with Diamond Bank Nigeria Plc. The business I am about to introduce is base don sheer trust and with a sense of purpose. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the sum of $20M U.S dollars. The money and property left behind by Engr. Morie Lynn who had an accident On the 21st of April 2000, Engr. Morie Lynn, his wife and their two Children were involved in a car accident in a remote village called Kuru near Jos in Plateau State. All occupants of the car Unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to his embassy here in Lagos-Nigeria to locate any of Morie's extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you as his account officer to work with you before they get confiscated, frozen or declared unserviceable by the bank where these huge deposits were lodged. Particularly, the Diamond Trust Bank of Nigeria Plc where the deceased had an account valued !
at about twenty Million United States Dollars (US$20,000,000:00).

Now the management has issued a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account frozen. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now ,I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased since you are a foreigner so that the proceeds of this account valued at $20,000,000:00 can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money. 60% to me and 35% to you, while 5% will be mapped out for any miscellaneous expenses that might be incure in the cause of this transaction.

I have made an arrangement with an attorney who will work for us and secure all the necessary legal documents to back up this claim, and this I must do to make sure that this fund is not wasted or end up in the wrong hands. All I require is your financial support, and your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through and secure all the legal documents. I guarantee you that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of the law.

If you are interested in this deal, kingly get back to me with your complete information, as follow.

Telephone and Fax numbers, your home address, Full name, your banking particulars where the funds US$20M would be transfer.

Best regards,

Dr. Pat Obi.
Tel: 234-803-395-6015.

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