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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: Richard Wood <woo.d23@msn.com>
Reply-To: <consulting.rwconsulting.rw785@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:11:00 +0000
Subject: Re: Inquiry From {R.W Consulting}



Please pardon me as I am aware that this is not a conventional way of relaying an important message such as this. I did try without successto locate either your contact address or fax number and as such, I resorted in contacting you via email. Greetings.My name is Richard Wood, a senior partner in the firm of Rw Consults Inc, in Rw Consulting, United Kingdom; we are a PrivateInvestigators, Security Consultants and Financial Managers.
We are conducting a standard process investigation/Recommendation on behalf of African Development Bank Group (ADB), The African Investment Banking Conglomerate in conjunction with standard Bank International London thus will be referred to as our clients. This investigation involves an account holder (Name Withheld) who bears same surname with you and also the circumstances surrounding hisinvestments at ADB Invest Account, the Investment Banking arm of African Development Bank Group. The ADB Private Investment client diedintestate and nominated no successor in title over the investments made with the bank amounting to over SEVEN Million US Dollars. The essence of thiscommunication with you is to request that you provide us information/comments on any or all of the four issues as regards nominating you to inherit the fund left behind by this client. Your answers and response(s) to the questions raised below will determine our recommendation to the ADB towards legally appointing you to inherit this investment fund after certified investigation has yielded results showing that there is no known relation of the deceased client. 1-Are you aware of any relative/relation born on the 2nd of February 1951, who bears your same surname whose last known contact address was Angola. 2-Are you aware of any investment of considerable value made by such a person at the Investment Banking Division of ADB Bank Group?3-Can you confirm your willingness to accept this inheritance if you are legally and legitimately appointed. 4-Would you agree to donate part of this inheritance to charity if you are officially approved to stand as the inheritor?It is pertinent that you inform us ASAP whether or not you are familiar with this personality or and your interest towards the issuesmentioned. You must appreciate that we are constrained from providing you with more detailed information at this point. We will provide you withadditional information upon receipt of your response. Thank you for accommodating our inquiry. Best regards,Richard Wood
For: Rw Consulting 30 Hollybush Rd,Hook Norton,OX15 5LY. Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

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