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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: "traore musa" <traore_musa@latinmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:59:09 +0100 (CET)
Subject: URGENT/REPLY NEEDED


FROM THE DESK OF DR TRAORE MUSA.
AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING MANEGER,=20
BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A)=20
OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO.=20

DEAR FRIEND,
I KNEW THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE. I AM THE BILL AND E=
XCHANGE MANAGER IN BANK OF AFRICA (BOA), OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO. I HO=
PED THAT YOU WILL NOT EXPOSE OR BETRAY THIS TRUST AND CONFIDENT THAT I =
AM ABOUT TO IMPOSE ON YOU FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF OUR FAMILIES.
I NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN TRANSFERRING THE SUM OF (USD$20.5) MIL=
LION TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITHIN 10 TO 17 BANKING DAYS. THIS MONEY HAS BEEN =
DORMANT FOR YEARS IN OUR BANK WITHOUT ANY BODY CLAIMING THE FUND.
I WANT THE BANK TO RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEAREST PERSON TO OU=
R DECEASED CUSTOMER (THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT) BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FO=
REIGN CUSTOMER (MR. RICHARD BURSON FROM FLORIDA, U.S.A) WHO DIED ALONG =
WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON NOVEMBER 1999 IN A PLANE CRASH.FOR MORE INFOR=
MATIONS ABOUT THE CRASH YOU CAN VISIT THIS SITE: HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/=
2/HI/AMERICAS/502503.STM
I DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO INTO OUR BANK TREASURER ACCOUNT AS AN ABAN=
DONED FUND. SO THIS IS THE REASON WHY I CONTACTED YOU SO THAT THE BANK =
CAN RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED CUSTOME=
R. PLEASE I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL AS A TOP SECRET AND DE=
LETE IT IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED.
UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL GIVE YOU FULL DETAILS ON HOW THE BUS=
INESS WILL BE EXECUTED AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOU WILL HAVE 40% OF THE ABOV=
E MENTIONED SUM IF YOU AGREE TO HANDLE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME.
AND 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR ANY EXPENSES THAT ARISES ON THE PROCESS B=
EFORE THE FUND GET INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT SUCH AS TELEPHONE CALLS BILLS=
(ETC).=20
I LOOKING FORWARD RECEIVING YOUR RETURN MAIL THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS=
THANKS AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
1. NAME IN FULL:................................
2. ADDRESS:.......................................
3. NATIONALITY:...................................
4. AGE:.............................................
5. Sex..............................................
6. OCCUPATION:......................................
7. MARITAL STATUS:..................................
8. PHONE............................................
9. FAX:.............................................
BEST REGAD
DR TRAORE MUSA.
=20

Un 2007 de Ins=F3lito, Deporte, Cine o Belleza... =A1Feliz Navidad! htt=
p://pan.starmedia.com/especiales/navidad07/portada/index.html

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