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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Kenneth Duncan" <kkennethcan@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2005 20:14:08 +0000
Subject: GOOD DAY

Dear Friend,
 
Before I introduce myself, I wish to inform you that this letter is not
a hoax mail and I urge you to treat it serious. This letter must come to
you as a big surprise, but I believe it is only a day that  people meet and
become great friends and business partners. I got your email address from a
link on webpage and have decided to contact you.
 
My name is Kenneth Duncan, 45 years old. Head Financial Control & Planning
department, Bond Bank Plc.I am divorced, have 3 kids living with me at
home. I'm 5'11 tall. black. I love animals. I have 2 dogs and 3 cats. I love
to travel. I love the outdoors, swimming, riding, skeet shooting, etc..I
have a healthy and active social life.
 
I use to head the Accounts department in my bank head office, but last
December, I was asked to take position of the Head Financial Control &
Planning department of our branch in Maryland who passed on, so that
was how I became the present Head Head Financial Control & Planning department.
 
As I resumed duty, I discovered an account with total sum of $5,410,000
million that has not been operated on for the past 4 years. From my
investigation, I found out that this account belongs to one Late Mr.
Morris Thompson an American great industrialist and a resident of Alaska, who
unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on
January 31 2000, including his wife and only daughter.
You shall read more news about the crash on visiting this site, which I
got during my investigation;
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01  and
http://www.nativefederation.org/history/
The account is escrow call account, a secret type of account in my bank
and no other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it,
the account has no other beneficiary. I have kept a close monitoring of the
account since then and nobody has come forward to ask about the money
as next of kin to the late Mr. Morris Thompson, meaning that no one is
aware of the account.
 
I cannot directly take out this money without the help of a foreigner
and that is why I am contacting you for an assistance to claim the funds
and share it with me. As the Head Financial Control & Planning department,
I have the power to influence the release of the funds to any foreigner
that comes up as the next of kin to the account, with the correct
information concerning the account, which I shall give you.
 
I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin to the
account, so that my bank head quarters will release the funds to you.
There is practically no risk involved, the transaction will be executed under
a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.
If you accept to work with me, I want you to state how you wish us to
share the funds in percentage, so that both parties will be satisfied.
Contact me as soon as you receive this message if you feel we can work together,
so we can go over the details.
 
Thanking you in advance and may God bless you.
Please, treat with utmost confidentiality.
I wait your urgent response.
My private email is kennethcan@iwon.com
Regards,
Mr.Kenneth Duncan

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