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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: "AHMED MOUSTAPHA" <ahmed_moustapha006@voila.fr> (may be fake)
Reply-To: ahmed_moustapha21@yahoo.ca
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:02:51 +0100
Subject:

Dear sir,
I got your contact while serching for investment assistance; I am Mr.AHMED MOUSTAPHA,a
Sierra Leonia.I am the first born of the deceased COL.ABUBAKAR MOUSTAPHA a rebel leader of the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone,who died,at battle field during the West Africa peace keeping intervention at the peak of the Sierra Leonian war.Before his death,he deposited an amount of three million seven hundred thousand American dollars
(U.S.$3.700,000) in a private security company in Senegal.
Presently,I want you to help me transfer the money into your accounts,so that you can help me to invest it and also to help me acquire naturization status in your country.I will give you 10% as your reward and also 5% as miscellaneous expenses.I need your reply urgently to enable me forward the necessary information which protects the documents which are with me as the beneficiary. I hope to hear from you at the earliest convenient time.
Yours sincerely
Ahmed Moustapha


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