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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Vince Howard <vincehoward006@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: vincehoward002@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2006 23:13:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Personal


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: vincehoward006@yahoo.com

Greetings Dear,

I am a staff of a Commercial Bank in London. I am writing following an opportunity in my office that will be of immense benefit to both of us. In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of £10.5million British Pounds Sterling (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in an account that belong to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Morris Thompson an American who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000,

including his wife (Thelma Thompson) and only daughter (Sheryl Thompson). You shall read more about the crash on visiting this site.

http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/

Now the bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has done that. I personally have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for 6 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at £10.5Million can be paid to you. This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, 60% for me and 40% for you. I will secure all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any

claim we may make. All I require is your honest Co-operation, Confidentiality and Trust to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of

the law. Please, provide me the following:

1. Full Name

2. Your Telephone Number

3. Your Contact Address.

Your urgent response will be highly anticipated and appreciated.

Best regards,

Vince Howard

- Vince Howard


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