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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: "EDVARD BERNHAND" <benvard@msn.com>
Reply-To: benvard@o2.pl
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 20:36:10 +0000
Subject: RE:FROM BERNHAND





DEAR FRIEND,

My name is :Edvard Bernhand, A Swedish national I have been diagnosed
with Esophageal cancer. It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and
right
now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical
experts. I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never
really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am
very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and
only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared
for.But now I regret all this as I now know that there
is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the
money in the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance
to come to this world I would live my life a different way
from how I have lived it.

Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of
my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well
as a few close friends.I want God to be merciful to me
and accept my soul so, I have decided to give alms to charity
organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds
I do on earth. So far, I have Distributed money to some charity
organizations in the U.A.E, Somalia and Malaysia. Now that my health
has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore.I once asked
members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the
money which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan,
they
refused and kept the money to themselves.

Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be
contended with what I have left for them. The last of my money
which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of Twenty Eight
Million dollars ($28,000,000,00) that I have with a finance House
abroad. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and despatch
it to charity organizations.

N/B:KINDLY NOTE THAT 20% of this funds must go to the tsunami
victims and another 10% for your effort and time.

God be with you.

Edvard Bernhand.


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