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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: "johnson david" <david15@johnsondavid.net>
Reply-To: johnson_david@voila.fr
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:02:05 +0000
Subject: VERY VERY URGENT


DEAR FRIEND,

I AM MR. DAVID JOHNSON, A BANKER IN ONE OF THE REPUTABLE BANK IN BURKINA
FASO. WITH DUE RESPECT AND REGARDS, I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A
BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT THE END
OF THE TRANSACTION. DURING MY INVESTIGATION AND AUDITING IN MY DEPARTMENT,
I CAME ACROSS A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON, A
FOREIGNER WHO DIED IN IRAQ WAR WITH HIS INTIRE FAMILY.


PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE E-MAIL johnson_david@voila.fr

THE FUND HAS BEEN IN HIS BANK ACCOUNT IN THE BANK WITHOUT ANY CLAIM OF THE
FUND IN OUR CUSTODY EITHER FROM HIS FAMILY OR RELATION BEFORE OUR DISCOVERY
TO THIS DEVELOPMENT. THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS USD$10.500,000 (TEN MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS.) YOUR PECENTAGE WILL BE 40% WHILE 60% WILL BE
FOR ME.

YOU CAN SEE THE NEWS IN BBC AND CNN REGARDING THEIR DEATH:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/10/11/iraq.deaths/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6040054.stm

THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE. I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION
HERE IN THE BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND ASK
ME TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND
ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGES INDICATED ABOVE.

I WANT TO PRESENT YOU AS HIS COUSIN OR BUSINESS PARTNER SO THAT THE BANK
WILL TRANSFER THE FUND INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT FOR US TO SHARE IT.

ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS TRANSACTION WILL BE SENT TO
YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU. I SUGGEST YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
STATING YOUR INTEREST IN THIS DEAL SO THAT I WILL SEND YOU THE TEXT OF THE
APPLICATION TO FILL AND SEND TO THE BANK.

PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE E-MAIL johnson_david@voila.fr

FINALLY, I WANT YOU TO KEEP THIS DEAL AS SECRET FOR SECURITY PURPOSE. I WANT
YOU TO INDICATE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DETALS WHERE THE FUND WILL BE TRANSFERED
TO :

1) NAME OF YOUR BANK................
2) ADDRESS OF YOUR BANK..............
3) ACCOUNT NUMBER............
4) YOUR PHONE NUMBER........
5) YOUR AGE ...................
6) YOUR OCCUPATION.............

I WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE.


PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE E-MAIL johnson_david@voila.fr

BEST REGARD,
MR. DAVID JOHNSON.

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