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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: "joseph agu" <josephagu@nepaworld.org>
Reply-To: josephaagu2005@latinmail.com
Date: Sat, 03 Sep 2005 16:34:49 +0000
Subject: Dear Beloved Friend,

FROM JOSEPH AGU

CITIZENS INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC.


Attn: Dear Beloved Friend,

I am an accountant with CITIZENS INTERNATIONAL BANK; my name is Dr Joseph
Agu,a Banker. I am the Accounts officer to ENGINEER KELLY BROOKE a National
of your country, who is a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM
RESOURCES VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.

Here in after shall be referred to as my client On 30 JAN 2000, my client,
his wife, and their three children were involved in the Kenya airways flight
with registration number 5Y-BEN which departed from Nairobi to destination
Lagos and they all family died in this fatal air crash on 30 JAN 2000 Since
then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my
clients extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name
over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by
the bank where these huge deposits were lodged, particularly the CITIZENS
INTERNATIONAL BANK. Where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($35
million u s dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin. Or
have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.

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 of the deceased
since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account
valued at ($35 million US Dollars) can be paid to you and then you and me
Can share the money.40% to me and 35% to you and 20% for any charity
organization in your country. While 5% for unforeseen bottlenecks we might
incur in this transaction an attorney will be contracted to help us
revalidate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used
to back up any claim we may make.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you and me from any breach of the law.You can get back to me
immediately on my private email address:{joseph_agu102@yahoo.com} on this
issue.

Best regards,

Dr Joseph Agu,

A Banker.


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