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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: HARMITON COOPER <harmcoop1@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: harmcoop@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 15:36:18 +0400
Subject: HARMITON COOPER


FROM: MR HARMITON COOPER
CHIEF ACCOUNTANT OFFICER OF
GLOBAL FINANCE LIMITED

Dear Sir,

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise since we don't know each other before, but for purpose of introduction, I am Mr. Harmitom Cooper the Chief Accountant Officer of Global Finance Limited. There is an account opened in this bank in 1980 and since 1991, the account had remained dormant.After going through some old files, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently it would be forfeited to the state. The owner of this account is Mr. WILLIAM ELGA RICHARD, a foreigner and a miner settler at Kruger Oil Co., a geologist by profession. Who died since 1990 and the state nationalized his company. No other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it. The account has no other beneficiary also and my investigation proved as well that his company
does not know anything about this account. The amount involved is (USD8.5M)
EIGHT MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY

I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to a local resident here. To avoid the money being traced by the government, it should be remitted to a nominated foreign account with an insider like me as the contact point in the bank. This transaction is 100% risk free and I assure you that as the chief account officer of this
bank this transaction is absolutely risk free and its success is never in doubt, because all the necessary documents relating to this transaction is in my care. And all approvals concerning this money are to be done by me and the bank DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF INTERNATIONAL FOREIGN REMITTANCE.What I need from you now is your full bank details, to enable me transfer this money in to your account. I need your full co-operation to make this business work very well. It is my firm believes that you are capable and willing to handle such amount of money in strict confidence and trust for our mutual benefit because this opportunity may never come again in a lifetime. I only need a reliable person in this business because I don't want to make any mistake; I need your strong assurance and trust. With my position now in the office the money can be transfer to any foreign
account, which you can provide with assurance that this money will be intact pending
my physical arrival in your country. I will destroy all documents of transaction immediately we receive this money leaving no trace to any place.At the conclusion of this business, you will be given 25% of the total amount, 65% will be for me, and while 10% will be for expenses both parties might have incurred during the process of transferring. I look forward
to your immediate reply through my email. Please reply immediately and indicate your interest to be part by enclosing your current phone/fax numbers for more confidential communication.

Thanks and Good luck,

Mr. Harmiton Cooper

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