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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: diegojosehsbc@handbag.com
Reply-To: diegojosehsbc@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 20:05:41 +0200
Subject: UNCLAIMED DEPOSIT WITH HSBC BANK

Mr.Diego Jose Martins
Vice President, Custody and Clearing
HSBC Bank plc
Madrid Spain.

Dear Partner,

Through some discreet search from my local chambers of commerce, you and
your organization were revealed as being quite astute in
Entrepreneurship. One has no doubt in your ability to handle an
international business of considerable TRUST, which may form the
bedrock of an extensive business partnership in the future.

PROPOSITION:

Presently in my bank here in the Spain we have an estate,
which has remained unclaimed since 1999. And the estate will be
converted to UNCLAIMED DEPOSIT and therefore forfeited if nobody
comes forward to lay claim to the deposit before the end of this
financial quarter, as is the practice and also indicated in the EU
banking guidelines.

It may interest you to know that we have secured from the probate
registry of the Supreme Court an order of mandamus to locate and
transfer the rights and privileges of the Estate to any of the
account's beneficiaries. This is why I am contacting you.

We now seek your understanding to have you stand as the
Beneficiary/Next of Kin to the deceased Do not be bothered as we will carefully
and legally work out all necessary documents in your favor as the new Beneficiary/Next-of-Kin
to the Estate.

I want to count on you as a person of respect and honest disposition and
hope that you will handle this transaction with all maturity and confidentiality
it deserves.

In order to get the process started, I would require that you contact me
immediately with all necessary contact information of yourself.

I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint
me.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Diego Jose Martins

NOTE: If however, you are not disposed to assist, kindly
delete/destroy this email in view of the confidentiality of the
proposed transaction and interest of personalities involved.


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