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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "igor atallah" <atallahigor1@msn.com>
Reply-To: atallahigor@msn.com
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 09:17:22 +0000
Subject: MINISTRY OF WORKS AND

MINISTRY OF WORKS AND
HOUSING

LAGOS-NIGERIA

PHONE
234-8052413735
FAX:234-1-7590800
PLEASE REPLY TO THESE BOXES.
aiigorigor@yahoo.com
atallah@azet.sk



DEAR SIR,

WE WRITE THIS LETTER WHICH
I PRAY SHOULD BE URGENTLY
REPLIED.

I GOT YOUR
CONTACT DURING MY YEAR OF SERVICE IN THE
FOREIGN
MINISTRY.

I MR IGOR ATALLAH , PRESENTLY THE DIRECTOR OF
THE
MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING
HEADQUARTERS , LAGOS
NIGERIA

I AM IN NEED OF YOUR GENUINE ASSISTANT AND
TRUST
BECAUSE AS A TOP OFFICIAL OF RULING GORVERNMENT,
I
WANT TO SAFE GAURD MY INTEREST IN YOUR COUNTRY
BEFORE
THE END OF THE TENURE OF THIS ADMINITRATION,
MORE ALSO WE AS CIVIL
SERVANT ARE FORBIDDEN TO OWN
OR OPERATE ACCOUNT HENCE A FOREIGNER
IS NEEDED.


I PRESENTLY HAVE AN OVER INVOLCED
CONTRACT PAYMENT OF
USD38.5M(THIRTY-EIGHT FIVE HUNDREN THOUSAND
US
DOLLAR) WHICH HAS REMAIN UNCLAIMED SINCE
1997.MY
SUPERIOR IN THIS PRESENDENCY HAVE MANDATE ME
TO
PRESENT A NONEST FOREIGNER WHO CAN
CONVENIENLYPROJECT
THIS FUND FOR US IN HIS BANK
ACCOUNT IN HIS COUNTRY. I SINCERELY
BELIEVE THAT YOU
CAN BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO US. THIS IS WHY I
AM
CONTACTING YOU AND ALSO REQUESTING FOR
YOUR
DISCRETION,MATURITY AND
CO-0PORATION.


MY SUPERIORS HAS COMPLETED ALL
ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS
TO SEE THAT THIS FUND RECEIVES ALL THE
REQUEST
APPROVALS IMMEDIATELY YOU GIVE ME THE GO
AHEAD.

ALL I NEED FROM YOU ARE THE
FOLLOWING.

(1) BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER

(2)
NAME AND FULL ADDRESS OF YOUR NORMINATED WITH
TELEPHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS

(3) YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS FOR
EASY
COMMUNICATION BE! TWEEN US.

I SHALL SEND
YOU BY FAX DETAIL OF THE CONTRACT
EXECUTED SOON AFTER I RECEIVE
YOUR FAX MESSAGE. YOU
WILL BE ENTITLED TO 30% FO THE TOTAL
FUND
IMMEDIATELY WE ARRIVE YOUR COUNTRY FOR SHARING.
10%
WILL COVER ALL MISCALLANEOUS EXPENSES WE SHALL DO
BOTH
HERE AND IN YOUR COUNTRY. PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO REACH
ME FOR MORE
DETAIL. DO NOT HESITATE TO SEND ME
A FAX MESSAGE AND CALL AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE. I
SINCERELY COUNT ON YOUR ASSISTANCE.REMEMBER .I
AM
HIGHLY PLACED OFFICIAL AND EXPECT ABSOLUTE
DISCRETION
FROM YOU IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR HONOUR
FROM FOREIGN JOURNALIST WHO
SEEK TO DESTROY MEMBER
OF OUR RULING CIVILIAN GORVERNMENT



THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH-FREE, SO YOU NEED
NOT
ENTERTAIN ANY FEAR AT ALL.


I
EXPECT YOUR REPLY IMMEDIATELY.
BEST REGARDS,

MR
IGOR ATALLAH


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