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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: "Morris Williams" <morriswilliams501@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: m_williams1944@myway.com
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:59:46 +0100
Subject: CAN I TRUST YOU?

STANDARD TRUST INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC.
Plot 101c, Park Street Leeki Phase 11, V/I, Lagos.
Private / Highly Confidential

 


                                Subject Matter: Invitation to Act as Next-of-Kin


Dear Friend,

May the peace Of God be with you and your family. I write this august letter in confidence, believing that it will reach you in high spirit and i believe you will maintain the level of confidence and trust matters of this nature requires. Though, i know that this proposal may make you apprehensive and worried, but i assure you that all will be well at the end. Before proceeding, i wish to introduce myself. I am Mr. Morris Williams, Deputy General Manager, (Credit Controls) with Standard Trust International Bank Plc, Lagos. I got your contact from a reliable fellow. The Proposal:

An American Citizen, Late Engr. Roy A. Bruce, a Petrochemical Engineer with Eleme Petro-Chemical Co. Rivers State. Until his death in ADC plane crash in November 2000, operated a omiciliary account with us and had a closing balance as at the end of September 2000 amounting to $10,500,000.00 ( Ten Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only), the bank now expects a next of kin as beneficiary to no avail. Valueable efforts have been made by Standard Trust Bank Plc to get intouch with any of  Late Roy A. Bruce's family as beneficiary to his estates without success. It is because of the perceived possibility of not being able to locate any of Late Engr. Roy A. Bruce's next of kin, since he had no wife or children that is known to the bank.

Consequently, the chairman and the board of Directors are planning to declare the fund Unclaimed and transfer it to special trust fund for purchase of arms and ammunition for ECOMOG soldiers in sierra Leone and Liberia zones in the East Africa sub-regions. In other to avert this negative development, i now seek your permission to have you stand as next-of-kin to the estate of  Late Engr. Roy A. Bruce, so that the fund $10,500,000.00 will be released and paid into your account as beneficiary's next of kin.

I will help to arrange all documents and proves to enable us get this fund out. I have secured from the probate registry an order of mandamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiary and more so, I am assuring you that this transaction is risk free. Once the fund ismoved to your nominated account, you will be entitle to 35%. Your share stays while the rest be for me and some people i will settle here. You will be entitled to substantial part from my percentage, in trust for investment. As soon as i receive your acceptance in principle, i will furnish you with the necessary modalities for commencement. Finally, I am relying in my confidence in you, having opened up to you,you can connact me via my email address if however you are not interested, please feel free to destroy this information as i will continue to scout for willing partner(s). But if the spirit moves you and you want to help me, then reply.


Yours Faithfully,

Mr.  Morris Williams



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