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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: "Zimmer Jones" <guth_41@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: zimmer_info@katamail.com
Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2005 12:06:21 +0000
Subject: FROM MR ZIMMER

DEAR FRIEND

MY NAME IS MR.ZIMMER JONES, PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO MR CONRAD BLACK.THE
MEDIA TYCOON,CHAIRMAN/CEO OF HOLLINGER INTERNATIONAL.WHO WAS WRONGLY
ACCUSSED ON 17/11/2005 OF FRAUDULENTLY DIVERTED OVER US$2.1bn FROM HIS
MEDIA EMPIRE.

I HAVE THE DOCUMENTS OF A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUNDS WHICH HE HANDED OVER TO
ME BEFORE HE WAS INDICTED AND CHARGED IN USA FOR FRAUDLENT ACT,LED BY
USA ATTORNEY FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS PATRICK FIZTZGERALD,WHO IS THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL IN THE CIA LEAK INVESTGATION IN WASHINGTON.

HIS BEEN BLACKLISTED COMPANY PERKS ABUSER FOR BEEN A GOOD HUSBAND,
FATHER,PROVIDING A DESERVED HOME AND VACATIONS FOR HIS FAMILY.HENCE THE NEED
TO CONTACT YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND
POSSIBLE INVESTMENT ON HIS BEHALF.

THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS TO BE RE-PROFILLED IS ONE HUNDRED FIFTY
MILLION DOLLARS(USD$150 MILLION).AND YOU WILL BE GENEROUSLY BE ENTITLED TO
15% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT SERVICES.UPON MY RECEIPT OF YOUR
REPLY CONFIRMING YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST ME ON THIS TRANSERCTION,I WILL
IMMEDIATELY ARRANGE ANDTRANSFER ALL THE RIGHT OF OWNERSHIP OF THIS FUNDS TO
YOUR NAME,TO FACILLLITATE YOUR EASY TRANSFER OF THE COMPLETE FUND TO YOUR
COUNTRY FOR ONWARD INVESTMENT.

NOTE: THE KEY WORD TO THIS TRANSACTION IS ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY AND
SECRECY. THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE.

YOUR URGENT RESPONSE WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.

Your's faithfully
MR.ZIMMER JONES
zimmer_info@katamail.com

NB: YOU CAN READ MORE OF HIS ORDEAL FROM:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4447538.stm
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/BUSINESS/11/17/black.indictment/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4459426.stm


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