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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: "ALVAN IKOKU" <revalvanikoku@msn.com>
Reply-To: revalvanikoku@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 08:45:15 +0000
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF: REV ALVAN IKOKU

FROM THE DESK OF: REV ALVAN IKOKU
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE /
FOREIGN OPERATIONS.

ATTENTION:

YOUR OVER INHERITANCE FUND($ 23,495,000.00) TWENTY THREE MILLION FOUR
HUNDRED AND NINETY FIVE THOUSAND USA DOLLARS. THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THATYOUR
OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED, VIA KEY TELEX
TRANSFER (KTT ) DIRECT WIRE TRANSFER TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR
FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER. MEANWHILE,A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS
AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE. HERE ARE HER
INFORMATIONS:

NAME JANET WILLIAMS
BANK NAME: CITI BANK
BANK ADDRESS:TEXAS, USA.
ACCOUNT Number: 8257609428.

PLEASE,DO RECONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE ,AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS
FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR
PAYING INTO THE WRONG ACCOUNT NAME.THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE,
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE
INHERITTANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS,TO
HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS THIS SECOND QUARTER
PAYMENT OF THE YEAR.HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS
TO THE SAID MRS. WILLIAMS, IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHEN THE NEXT SEVEN
WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

BEST REGARDS, REV ALVAN IKOKU

DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE FOREIGN OPERATIONS.
CC: ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS
CC: CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR
CC: BOARD OF DIRECTORS [FPD]
CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA


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