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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: <fred_john@latinmail.com>
Reply-To: fredjohn2011@aol.com.m
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 07:44:27 -0300
Subject: GOOD DAY SIR IS FROM DR FRED R. JOHN TREAT URGENTLY

Dear Friend,

It is my pleasure to write you this mail irrespective of the fact that we
have not met. However, I got your contact information & e-mail address in
a human resource profile database of your country during my search for a
reliable and trustworthy person that can handle a business of this nature.
I am a Bank Manager with one bank in London.

I am writing in respect of
my foreign customer who died in the Air Crash {The Concorde Plane Crash
AF4590} on July 31, 2000. You can read about this sad news on this page;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

My customer, whose name is Mr. Andreas Schranner was a Property Magnate.
He had operated a fixed deposit account with our bank since 1998; his
account balance plus interest accrued since then amounts to $126,000,000 (One Twenty Six Million Dollars) American Dollars Only], which our bank had since expected any of his relations /next of kin to claim. Unfortunately,

he died without a Written WILL &
TESTAMENT attached to this account. Since his death, I have personally
watched with a keen interest to see if any of his relations will come
forward to put up claim for this deposit, but nobody has shown up till now
and this account has been dormant.

As his account manager, I am privileged to cover this account from being
confiscated.I have contact a lawyer whom I have discussed this matter with and
confirmed it is possible to present anybody overseas to claim this money
as the supposed Next of Kin to my customer. I am sure of hitch free
claim of the fund.

On this note, I decided to contact you and to seek for your cooperation to
receive the fund in your bank account as the Next of Kin. The bank policy
does not allow such money to stay for so long without being maintained or
serviced, hence the money will automatically be reverted to the
Government Treasury Account as abandoned and Unclaimed Bill/deposit after
a specific period of dormancy.

If you are prepared to work with me, we shall share the fund : 40% for
yourself, 40% for myself and 20% shall be given to charity organizations
in your country.Contact me if you can work with me assuring me that you are capable to
handle this deal confidentially as I believe you are a person of
respect and honest disposition,

I want to further assure you that this claim is 100% risk free. I have
made up my mind to quit my job once this deal is concluded and the fund
safely transferred to your bank account in your in your country.
I will send you my Bank I.D when I receive your positive response.

Waiting for your prompt reply.

Dr FRED JOHN



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