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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: "eunice baker" <eunicebaker15@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: eunicebaker2000@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2006 18:41:54 -0500
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE NEEDED PLEASE

PHONE: + 44 703 189 6722
EMAIL: george_phillips40@walla.com

Attn. The President/CEO

Sir/Madam,

I am George Phillips, a solicitor at law and Queens Counsel (QC), personal
Attorney to Mr.

Leslie Whitaker, a national of your country, who used to work with the Shell
Development
Company in London, here in shall be referred to as my client.

On the 21st of April 2000, my client; his wife and their only daughter were
involved in a
ghastly car accident on the M25 Motorway here in England. All the occupants
of the vehicle
unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries
with your Embassy
here to locate any of my late client’s extended relatives. These have
proved unsuccessful.

(a) http://www.guardian.co.uk/concorde/story/0,7369,347596,00.html


b) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm


After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to solicit the
assistance of an
external partner to help me transfer the funds abroad, hence I contacted
you. I have
contacted you to assist in repatriating abroad the funds, valued at US$12
Million left
behind by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by
the financial
organisation where this huge amount was deposited.

The said financial / security organisation has issued me a notice to provide
the next of kin
or have his (my late client) account confiscated within the next twenty-one
working days.
Since I have been unsuccessful with locating the relatives for over 2 years
now, I seek the
consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased so that the
proceeds of this
account can be paid to you.

Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the
sharing terms for
transfer. I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to
back you up for the
claim. All I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see
this transaction
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate
arrangements that will
protect you from any breach of the law.

Please get in touch with me via the above email address or phone number, for
more details.
I contacted you by email because I believe it is more confidential.

Best Regards.


George Phillips QC.
(BA, LLB, MA)

_________________________________________________________________
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