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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: "ROBERT BARTON ESQ." <compras@renaciente.com>
Reply-To: robertbarton@hotmail.es
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 06:58:58 -0500 (ECT)
Subject: Confidential: Treat as Urgent

Dear Partner,

Firstly, I apologize for sending you this sensitive information via e-mail
instead of a Certified mail/Post-mail. This is due to the urgency and
importance of the information. This project is based on trust,
confidentiality and sincerity of purpose in order to have an acceptable
meeting of the minds. I am fifty two (52) years old established lawyer. My
name is Robert Barton Esq. a legal personal attorney to an expatriate and
a consultant with a French oil company, NOCOZOIL (Now deceased) He died in
the Tsunami disaster on 26th December 2004 while on vacation in Thailand.

Six years ago, My Client successfully executed a contract for the Spanish
government worth US$16.5 million dollars. A part payment of USD8 million
dollars was paid to my client, while the balance of USD8.5 million Dollars
was still unpaid before my client died in the Indian Ocean Tsunami
disaster. However, all my efforts to locate the possible next of kin
proved abortive until his sudden demise, He was not married and was
44years old.

NOW THE CRUX OF THIS E-LETTER is that the government of Spain is fully
paying all foreign contractors who have successfully executed their
contracts and my client is among those that Benefited in this first
quarter payment schedule, which has already been deposited in his bank. As
his personal attorney/Adviser, his bank has officially notified and
instructed me to forward particulars of my client's next of kin within the
next 14 official working days so that he/she can be paid the outstanding
USD8.5 Million dollars otherwise his payment will be diverted to the
government coffers account as unclaimed bill.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating any of his relatives, I decided
to contact you for a deal so that we can work together as a team to remit
the money to your account as my client next of kin since I do not want to
seat and watch my client hard earned entitlement to go astray, it will be
easy for us to achieve because you are of the same name and country like
him. Although I know that a transaction of this magnitude might make
anyone apprehensive but I would like to assure you that I am proposing
this project to you with the best of intensions. As a lawyer, I have the
power to secure all the necessary legal documents that will be used for
this claim.

All I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us seal this
deal through. I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a
Legitimate banking arrangement that will protect you from any breach of
law. Upon successful conclusion of this project; you will be compensated
with 40% of the total fund, while 60% will be for me.

If you are interested to work with me in this deal, kindly reply strictly
to my personal Email: robertbarton@hotmail.es with your personal Telephone
/fax number for effective communication and oral clarification on how to
proceed next.

Sincerely yours,
Robert Barton Esq.


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