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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.

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

Fraud email example:

From: Williams Goodluck <sarahjeanm1@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mr.williamsgoodluck@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 05:16:33 +0000
Subject: Read carefully and reply




Hello,

May I respectfully invite your kind attention, We have Twelve Million Two Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars(US$12.2M) which accrued overtime from deliberately inflated contract awarded in my Ministry and executed by a consortium of multinationals in the Oil Industry the fund shall be paid to you through our operating bank where it is presently deposited as soon as the legalization process is concluded in your name.
I have concluded every arrangement to ensure that you receive the funds successfully as the contractor that executed the contract. I will give you more information as soon as you indicate your willingness to assist in this transaction.

After successful conclusion of this transaction, we shall share the money 80-20 (20% for you and 80% for me).
I await your good response today.

Thanks for your co-operation.
Mr. Williams Goodluck,
Director, Debt Reconciliation Committee.

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