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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: "okojie ojhn" <okosjohn1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: okojohn1@operamail.com
Date: Sun, 02 Jul 2006 01:11:45 +0100
Subject: FROM JOHN

MR OKOJIE JOHN
DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATION
UNION BANK OF NIG. PLC
MARINA-LAGOS
NIGERIA.
PLEASE REPLY TO (okojohn1@operamail.com)

DEAR SIR,

I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR COOPERATION TO PRESENT YOU TO MY BANk
AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MR RICHARD PETERSON, A FOREIGN
CONTRACTOR WITH NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION
(NNPC): SO THAT THE SUM OF USD$26.8MILLION WILL BE PAY TO YOU AS THE
BENEFICIARY, FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

I AM THE DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT WITH UNION
BANK OF NIGERIA PLC.THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF UNION BANK OF
NIG.PLC, MANDATED ME TO LOOK FOR ANY KNOWN RELATION OF MR
RICHAR PETERSON,SINCE, AFTER HIS DEATH 5/1/03, HOWEVER ALL
MY EFFORTS TRACES ABORTIVE,THAT IS THE MAIN REASON I AM
WRITING YOU THIS TO ASK FOR YOUR COOPEARATION FOR US TO
CLAIM THIS MONEY, SINCE YOU ARE A FOREIGNER.I ONLY HAVE TO APPROVE
YOU,

THIS FUND WILL BE PAY TO YOU AS THE BENEFICIARYWE ARE TO
SHARE THIS MONEY BETWEEN OURSELVES (I AND YOU) IF YOU ARE REALY
INTERESTED IN THIS OFFER YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY.

FOR DETAIL OF THIS TRANSACTION AND PRECEDURE. PLS DO
FORWARD ME YOUR FULL NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE AND FAX NUMBER,
YOUR COMPANY NAME OR OCCUPATION THESE INFO ARE VITAL TO THE
SUCCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION. NOTE THAT THIS IS RISK FREE BUSINESS,
THIS TRANSACTION WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY THERE IS INTEREST FROM YOU.

YOURS TRUELY

MR OKOJIE JOHN

_________________________________________________________________
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