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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: "John Banigo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <JohnBanigo@outlook.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2019 18:07:22 -0800
Subject: Dear Friend,

Dear Friend, Hope you and yours are doing fine? We may not have met nor seen but I call you friend because the business we are going to do cannot be done without the spirit and heart of friendship. We must see each other as friends because true friends cannot put each other into problem but will do everything to make each other happy. I am a civil servant and presently works with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I am the Director, Bonny loading terminal in Bonny island. My duty among others is to make sure that allocated crude oil is properly loaded into designated vessels. I supervise all loading activities in the terminal. With my signature loaded vessels have no problem with government neither do they have any problem with any authority both locally and internally. What I want you to do is to get a crude oil allocation which will be legally done to avoid any embarrassment. You and I will sell the product and make so much gain. The Nigerian bonny light crude is of best quality because of the low water content. Buyers cannot even get enough of the product so getting a buyer will not be problem as I have a list a buyers on my table. On the other hand you can get product reassigned to you. With my position I will facilitate the whole process. I need someone like you in this transaction because as a civil servant I cannot do it alone to avoid going against the law as it will mean using my office to enrich myself. It is only working with a non staff that I can achieve success without being noticed. My friend, I am following every legal process to avoid putting you into problem. Anything that affects you in the trabsaction must affect me also. Therefore, I can assure you that your safety is 100% guaranteed. Please, note that this business does not require only a rich person to execute because it is of less financial burden to everyone. We can be making at least a million dollar or more every month for twelve consecutive months depending on the way you feel comfortable for us to do it. We are in this together and so we have to agree on everything both in principle and practice. I am only working underground to protect my office and the transaction too. I will explain more as soon as I hear from you and I look forward to working with you as a friend and brother. Regards, John Banigo NNPC, Bonny, Rivers State, Nigeria.

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