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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: "Prince Fayad S. Bolkiah." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fayadp@yahoo.cn>
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2012 19:21:58 -0400
Subject: Important Letter

My Good Friend

I got your reliable contact from a business diary and further explicit
investment information about your country. I am Prince Fayad S. Bolkiah,
the eldest son of Prince Jefri Bolkiah, former Finance Minister of Brunei,
the tiny oil-rich sultanate on the Gulf Island. I will save your time by
not amplifying my extended royal family history, which has already been
disseminated by the international media during the controversial dispute
that erupted between my Father and his step brother, the sultan of Brunei
Sheik Muda Hassanal Bolkiah.

As you may know from the international media, the sultan had accused my
father of financial mismanagement and impropriety of US$14.8 Billion
dollars. This was as a result of the Asian financial crisis that made my
father's company Amedeo Development Company and government owned Brunei
Investment Company to be declared bankrupt during his tenure in office.

However my father was kept under house arrest, his bank accounts and
private Properties including a crude oil export refinery were later
confiscated by the sultanate. Furthermore during this unfortunate period,
I was advised to evacuate my immediate family outside the sultanate to
avoid further prosecution from the sultan and his security operatives, but
before I could do that I was placed under house arrest by the Sultan and
have no access to a phone but I have a Palm hand-held computer from which
I am sending you this mail.

Some of the guard here are still loyal to me, so they would be my contact
with you if there is any document I need to send to you to enable you
collect the boxes of money on my behalf. Before my incarceration, I went
ahead to dispatch the sum of Five Hundred Million United States Dollars
(US$500,000,000.00) in cash under special arrangement into the custody of
different private security and Trustee companies for safe keeping abroad.
Just like an unspecified amount of money Sadam Husseine took out of Iraq
in cash .

The money were splited and kept in the following countries in this
proportion: US$ 100 Million is in Switzerland,US$200 Million is in Spain,
US$100 Million is in Australia,US$100 Million is in United States of America
and the balance.

Hence I seek your good assistance to invest these funds into profitable
investment in your country to facilitate future survival for my family
abroad. After due deliberation with my aids we have decided to offer 20%
of these funds to you as compensation for your strong cooperation while 5%
have been mapped out for both local and international expenses that may be
incurred during this transaction.

Please I count on your absolute confidentiality, transparency and trust
while looking forward to your prompt reply towards a swift conclusion of
this business transaction. You may contact me so that i will let you know
the next thing to do.

Many Thanks and may Allah's blessing remain with you.

I remain Your's in brotherhood,
Prince Fayad S. Bolkiah.
You can visit the websites below for a better understanding of the
situation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Jefri_Bolkiah

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