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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: "Dr Michael Williams" <drmichaelwilliams17@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: drmichealwilliams@o2.pl
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 03:12:15 -0600
Subject: FROM DR MICHAEL WILLIAMS (REPLY URGENTLY FOR MORE INFORMATION)

DEAR:SIR/MADAM,

I KNOW THIS WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.IAM DR
MICHAEL WILLIAMS, I WORK IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA ,PACKAGING AND
COURIER DEPARTMENT BEFORE I GET STROKE DURING THE NIGERIA BOMB BLAST WHICH
CAMEUP TWO YEARS AGO,ALSO IT WAS DURING THIS BOMB BLAST I LOST MY DARLING
WIFE WITH TWO CHILDREN REMAIN ONE SON IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS SON I WANT TO
TRANSFERTHIS FUNDS. BECAUSE OF THIS I WAS RESIGN BY THE BANK FOR A TREATMENT
WHICH I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY.DURING THIS MY SERVICE IN OFFICE I WAS
ABLETO MANAGE THIS FUNDS THROUGH DIPLOAMTIC.I GOT YOUR CONTACT IN MY SEARCH
FOR A HONEST PERSON THROUGH ONE OF MYCOLLEAGUES HERE IN THE CENTRAL BANK WHO
SAID THAT I CAN CONFIDE IN YOU.

I WANT YOU TO HELP ME CLEAR A PACKAGE WHICH I SHIPPED THROUGH THE
UNITEDNATIONS DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT ATTACHED TO CENTRAL BANK OF
NIGERIA,ANDIT WAS BEEN DEPOSITED IN LONDON NAME (WITHHELD) UNTIL I HEAR FROM
YOU. THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE IS US$11M( ELEVEN MILLION
UNITEDSTATESDOLLARS) ALL IN $100 BILLS, BUT THE COURIER COMPANY DOES NOT
KNOW THATITIS MONEY THAT I HAVE IN THE PACKAGE.
ALL I WANT YOU TO DO FOR ME NOW IS THIS GIVE ME-YOUR PRIVATE PHONE AND FAX
YOUR MILLIN ADRESS.A COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIOAL PASSPORT
HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY , YOU WILL HAVE 25%AND 75% WILL BE FOR ME .

MY IDENTITY MUST NOT BE REVEALED TO ANYBODY . IF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS OKAY BY
YOU , THEN GET BACK TO ME OTHER MODALITIES WILL BE DISCUSSED AS SOON AS YOU
GET BACK TO ME INCLUDING SENDING OF THE KEYS TO THE BOXES TO YOU.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR MICHAEL WILLIAMS.


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