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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: "PHILIP AZU" <philipazu@msn.com>
Reply-To: philipazu@myway.com
Date: Sun, 02 Oct 2005 02:29:28 +0000
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE

>From The Manager Credit and foriegn Bills
Regent Bank Nig plc
Victoris Island
Lagos-Nigeria.
E-mail: philipazu@myway.com

Attention: Sir/Madam,

My name is Mr.Philip Azu, the Manager,Credit and Foreign bills of
Regent Bank Plc. I am writing in respect of a foreign customer of our
bank with account number 14-255-114 whose name is Late Mr. Morris
Thompson, an american by citizen who perished in a plane
crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on
January 31 2000, including his wife and only daughter. You
shall read more about the crash on visiting this site
which I got during my investigation;
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/ and
http://www.nativefederation.org/history/people/mThompson.html

Since the demise of this our customer, I personally has watched with
keen interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no
one has come to claim his funds of US$15.5M (Fiftheen Million Five
Hundred Thoudsand United States Dollars) which has been with our branch
for a very long time. On this note, I decided to seek for whom his name
shall be used as the Next of Kin as no one has come up to be the next
of kin. And the banking ethics here does not allow such money to stay
more than Ten Years, because the money will be recalled to the bank
treasury as unclaimed fund after this period.

In view of this I got your contact through a trade journal when i was
making a research on a foreigner i will use in this great upportunity.
For your assistant i will give you 30% of the total amount then 10% has
been maped out to donate to the motherless baby home, while the
remaining 60% will be for me and my partner. Upon the receipt of your
response, I will send you by fax or e-mail the letter of
application which you will type sign and send back to our bank to
enable us start this transaction.

I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hitch free and
that you should not entertain any fear as all modalities for the smooth and
easy transfer of this fund has been finalized, this transaction will be
complited within five banking days of recieving your response, after you
apply to the bank as a relation to the deceased. When you receive this
letter.
Kindly send me an e-mail signifying your decision including your
private Tel/Fax numbers for quick communication on my personal email
address: philipazu@myway.com

Yours Sincerely,

Mr.Philip Azu,
Manager Credit and Foriegn Bills
Regent Bank Nig Plc.


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