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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: "Leak Mike" <leakmike77@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: utomidavies@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 20:31:07 +0400
Subject: It is possible

DEAR FRIENDS
MY NAME IS UTOMI DAVIES AND ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE
OF ZENITH BANK PLC. (RC 150224) I HUMBLY SOLICITING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO
TRANSFER THE SUM OF FIFTEEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES
DOLLARS (US15.5MILLIOM USD) INTO YOUR ACCOUNT, BUT DUE TO THE SPAM E-MAILS
THAT IS GOING ON IN AFRICA.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE DECIDED TO INCLUDE OUR BANK REGISTRATION NUMBER WHICH WE
WILL LIKE YOU TO VERIFY FROM THE CO-OPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA WE
ARE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR BUDGET AND PLANNING OF THE MINISTRY
OF PETROLEUM, THIS COMMITTEE IS PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED WITH CONTRACT APPRAISALS
AND APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS IN ORDER TO PRIORITIES AS REGARDS CAPITAL PROJECT OF
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA. WITH OUR POSITIONS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
SECURED FOR OURSELVES THE SUM OF FIFTEEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLARS (US15.5MILLIOM USD). THIS AMOUNT WAS ACCUMULATED THROUGH UNDER
CLEARED WINDFALL FROM SALES OF CRUDE OIL DURING THE U.S.A AND IRAQI WAR.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE ACCOUNT INTO WHICH THE FUND WILL
BE TRANSFERRED SINCE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE NOT ALLOWED BY OUR LAWS TO
OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT.
IT HAS BE AN AGREED THAT THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH
40% OF THE REMITTED FUNDS, WE KEEP 55% WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO OFF SET
EXPENSES AND PAY THE NECESSARY TAXES.
IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT TWO YEARS AGO A SIMILAR TRANSACTION WAS
CARRIED OUT WITH ONE MR. PATRICE MILLER, THE PRESIDENT OF CRAINE INTERNATIONAL
TRADING CORPORATION AT NO.135, EAST 57TH STREET, 28TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, 10022
WITH TELEPHONE (212) 308-7788 AND TELEX NO .6731689, AFTER THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN BOTH PARTNERS IN WHICH HE WAS TO TAKE 5%. THE MONEY WAS DULY
TRANSFERRED INTO HIS ACCOUNT ONLY TO BE DISAPPOINTED ON OUR ARRIVAL IN NEW
YORK AS WE WERE RELIABLY INFORMED THAT MR. PATRICE MILLER WAS NO LONGER ON
THAT ADDRESS WHILE HIS TELEPHONE AND TELEX NUMBERS HAVE REALLOCATED TO
SOMEBODY ELSE, THAT IS HOW WE LOST US17.5M TO MR. PATRICE MILLER.
THIS TIME AROUND WE NEED A MORE RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON OR A
REPUTABLE COMPANY TO DO BUSINESS WITH, SO IF YOU CAN PROVE YOURSELF TO BE
TRUSTED AND INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL THEN WE ARE PREPARED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU.
WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU IS THE ASSURANCE THAT YOU WILL LET US HAVE OUR SHARE
WHEN THIS AMOUNT OF THE FUNDS AFTER IT HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
IF THIS PROPOSAL SATISFIES YOU, PLEASE E-MAIL US YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS, SO THAT WE CAN ADVICE YOU ON THE MODALITIES OF THE TRANSACTION. ALL
MODALITIES OF THE TRANSFER HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT AND ONCE STARTED WILL NOT TAKE
MORE THAN 21 WORKING DAYS WITH THE ABSOLUTE SUPPORT OF ALL CONCERNED. THIS
TRANSACTION IS 100% SAFE.
PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL. GOD BE WITH YOU AS I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY.
REGARDS,
UTOMI DAVIES
+234 8056303019




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