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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: Barrister Arne Haghen <haghenarne@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2015 03:27:13 -0500
Subject: Good day dear friend

Please I am contacting you with a good faith and believing that you
are going to assist me in a private transaction do not see this email
as one of the scam mails because is difficult to trust people
nowadays. This is $67 million dollars that belongs to my late client,
Muammar Al-Gaddafi, Former president of Libya.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22745618
And after his death all of his family members was arrested, I have
shifted the fund to escrow account so that nobody will have access to
the fund again I want to invest the fund in your country all I want
from you is your honesty and sincerity for you to tell me that you
are not going to expose the fund and both of us will sign agreement
which I will give you 30% for your assistance in this transaction,
please kindly get back to me and let me know the line of business
where we can invest this money in your country and send me your full
name, address and cell phone number if you’re willing and ready but if
not, please delete this message for security reasons.

Thanks and best regards
Barr. Arne.

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