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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: "Steve" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <stevecollins245@foxmail.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 22:43:17 +0430
Subject: Waiting For Your Response

Dear Friend,

Compliments of the day to you. I hope you are doing well.On my honor, I want to introduce myself. My name is Doctor Steve Collins, Chairman of Contract Award Committee of West African Health Support Organization (WAHSO). I operate at our headquarters which are located in Accra, Ghana, but our sub and area offices are in all member states of the organization. This organization is an arm of the Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) which is the single largest organization operating here in the West African sub-region with 15 member states. In addition, my organization oversees health support related matters in the whole region.

I am contacting you based on the committee's need for an individual/company whom are willing to assist us with a solution to a money transfer. The amount of $23.5 million (Twenty Three Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) represents the balance of the total contract value executed on behalf of ECOWAS for supply of hospital equipment from foreign contracting firms, which we over-invoiced deliberately, of which the actual sum has been paid.

We need you to help us by providing a durable account that will be used to receive this money for the benefit of all of us. We made up this mark up to take care of our retirement benefits because some of us in the committee are due for retirement soon and we believe this will help in no small measure to affect great change in our generations coupled with the fact that the project was a multi-million dollar one so it provided a very unique and great opportunity for us all.

Would you be willing to assist us in the transaction? Your share of the sum will be 30% of the $23.5 Million, 65% for us and 5% for taxation and miscellaneous expenses. To enable us to begin commencing, you should provide the following for immediate kickoff of this deal if it interests you: Your company's name with its complete address, telephone number, and fax number.

We are mature men in the highest cadres of our careers and would want to protect both our reputation which we have worked hard over the years to build, our family names, careers and grown up children, so we would want you to take this transaction serious and give it, it's desired attention if you accepts this partnership.

Please confirm the receipt of this message and let us know your position immediately.

Yours Faithfully,

Dr. Steve Collins.

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