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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: mustafa sidu <musta_siud044@sify.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:21:55 +0100
Subject: URGENT RESPOND

Hello,

This message might meet you in utmost surprise, However, Its just my urgent need for a foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction, I am a banker by profession from Burkina Faso currently holding the post of an accountant in the bank of Africa (boa) .

I have the opportunity of transferring the left over fund of 18 million u.s dollars which belongs to one of my client who died along with his family /next of kin in a plane crash. After further investigation it was discovered that the deceased person declares only his next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank deposit. Now that his next of kin also died with him in the plane crash, I am contacting you to stand as his next of kin so that this fund will be transferred into your bank account for both of us.

What bothers me is that according to the laws of my country at the expiration seven years six months the funds will revert to the ownership of the Burkina Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

I am prepared to place you as the next of kin in a position to instruct you on how to claim the fund as the closest surviving relation. After your basic understanding of the whole business, we have to commence the process by which we will actualize the project. At the end of this transaction, you will have 30% of the total amount while 60% will be for me and 10% will be for expenses both parties might have incurred during the process of transferring.

I assure you that I could have the deposit released to you within a few days. I will simply inform the bank of the final closing of the file relating to the deceased person I will then officially communicate with my Bank and instruct them to release the deposit to you. With these: all is done. I am aware of the consequences of this proposal.

I ask that if you find no interest in this project that you should discard this mail. I ask that you do not be vindictive and destructive. If my offer is of no appeal to you, delete this message and forget I have ever contacted you. Do not destroy my career because you do not approve of my proposal. You may not know this but people like myself who have made tidy sums out of comparable situations run the whole private banking sector.

I do not find against good conscience, this may be hard for you to understand, but the dynamics of my industry dictates that I make this move. Such opportunities only come ones way once in a lifetime. I cannot let this chance pass me by, for once I find myself in total control of my destiny.

I ask that you do not destroy my chance, if you will not work with me let me know and let me move on with my life but do not destroy me. I am a family man and this is an opportunity to provide them with new opportunities. There is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth undertaking.

Also I am very confident that we will be able to establish the trust that is needed to complete this deal and all that I need from the time been is your willingness and commitment so that we can end this in the nest one weeks. Like I said before there is no risk involve as it will pass through international banking laws and all the necessary information will be given to you as soon as I receive you acceptance letter.

I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to what the consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should plan a meeting soon.

You should observe utmost CONFIDENTIALITY AND SECRECY in this transaction, and rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us. I will require your assistance to invest my share in your country after all.

Thanks.
Mr.Mustafa Sidu.


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