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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: "Mrs. Lucy Rowland / Accountant - MERCHANT BANK OF ENGLAND" <accountant_lucyrowland@live.com>
Reply-To: accountant.lucyrowland@live.co.uk
Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:24:00 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: I AWAIT FOR YOUR RESPONSE.


My Dear Friend,

I am Mrs. Lucy Rowland. Accountant Merchant Bank Of England.
I am contacting you in regards to a transfer of a Huge sum of money from a
deceased account. That was deposited in our bank here in London-United
Kingdom Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any
one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well
at the end of the day. I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this
transaction.

PROPOSITION:
we discovered an abandoned sum of US$10,700,000.00 (Ten Million Seven
Hundred Thausand US Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our
foreign customers who share the same last name as yours who died along
with his entire family. Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or
relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir. We
cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim
as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking
guidelines.Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you
stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be
carefully worked out by me for the funds US$10,700,000.00) to be released
in your favor as the beneficiary's next of kin. It may interest you to
note that we have secured from the probate an order of mandamus to locate
any of deceased beneficiaries.Please acknowledge receipt of this message
in acceptance of my mutual business endeavor by furnishing me with the
following

1.Your full Name:.................................
2. Direct Telephone No:........................
3. Home Address:..................................


These requirements will enable me file a letter of claim to the
appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favor before the
transfer can be made. After the money have been transferred to you
account, you shall be entitling for 40% while 10% will go for any expenses
you made during the transaction while the rest 50% shall be for me. Your
share stays with you while the rest shall be for me for investment
purposes. If you find yourself able to work with me, contact me only
through my confidential email address (
accountant.lucyrowland@live.co.uk ) And the private phone number I shall
provide in recipient of your response to my proposal. This is because my
official lines are not totally secure lines as they are periodically
monitored to assess our level of customer care in line with our Total
Quality Management Policy. Note that the transaction is risk free because
nobody knows about the transaction except me Please observe this
instruction religiously. I send you this mail not without a measure of
fear as to what the consequences may be, but I know within me that nothing
ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or
on a platter of gold. If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take
undue advantage of the trust I bestowed in you.

I await your urgent reply
Best Regards,
Mrs. Lucy Rowland.
Email:{ accountant.lucyrowland@live.co.uk ]




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