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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: "Dr.Jega Okpontu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jega.okpontu5@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2011 03:44:38 -0700
Subject: GET BACK TO ME

Dear Friend,

My Name is Dr.Jega Okpontu, a Senior Staff and Regional Branch Bank Manager here in our Bank.I got your information during my searcher on your Country Chambers of Commerce. I am married with kids. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of Peace. I only hope we can assist each other.

I have packaged a Financial Transaction that will benefit both of us, as the Regional Bank Manager, it is my duty to send in a Financial report to my Head Office in the Capital City Accra at the end of each year. On the course of the last year 2010 end of year report, I discovered that my Branch in which I am the Manager made ($7,500,000.00) Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars which my Head Office, are not aware. Then I decided to place the Funds on what we call Suspense Account without any Beneficiary. As an Officer of the Bank I can not be directly connected to this Money, hence I contacting you to stand in as the Beneficiary to assist me to receive this Money from my Bank to your Bank Account. I am willing to give you 30% of the Total sum of the Money after the Transfer is done.

Note there are practically no Risk involved, it will be Bank to Bank Transfer, and All I need from you is your Honest and Assistance to help me Claim this Funds as the Original Depositor with my Bank so that the Transfer will be made to your designated Bank Account. If this is accepted by you, I will appreciate it very much as soon as I received your response.

To indicate your interest, please kindly get back to me through my alternative email address at: jega.okpontu5@hotmail.com

Hope to hear from you.

Best Regards,
Dr.Jega Okpontu

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