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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: "SMITH BROWN ESQ." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <brownesq.smith@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2009 09:43:19 +0800
Subject: Re-Notification of Bequest....

SMITH BROWN & SPRAWSON SOLICITORS
46 HIGH STREET,BEDFORDSHIRE,LU6 3HE
LONDON.
PHONE:+44 7031961573
Re-Notification of Bequest

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Prof Roger Michael Need ham. I once again try to notify
you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this Same email address
on the WILL.
I wish to notify you that late Prof Roger Michael Need ham made you a beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of
Fifteen Million, One Hundred thousand United States Dollars to you in the Conductibility and last testament to his
WILL.
These may sound strange and unbelievable to you with the current upsurge in cyber crime and the likes, but it is for
real and true.Being a widely traveled man, he must have been in contact with you in the past or simply you were
nominated to him by one of his numerous friends abroad who wished you good.
Prof Roger Michael Needham, an engineer/Computer scientist who worked as Director, Microsoft Research limited,
Cambridge before he died on 1st March in the year 2003 and was patron of the Royal Academy of Engineering and also
member of various societies and organizations.
He was a very dedicated Christian who loved to give out. His great Philanthropy earned him numerous awards during
his life time one of which was the Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Late Roger Michael Needham died on the 1st March in the year 2003 at the age of 68 years, and his WILL is now ready
for execution. According to him this money is to support humanitarian/philanthropic activities and to help the poor
and the needy in our society. Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as soon as possible
to enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear from you in no distant time.
In your response, please provide the following information.
FULL NAMES AND ADDRESS
TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER
SEX
OCCUPATION
The requested information shall enable me authenticate the ones in the WILL and my file.
You can reach me on phone immediately on your receipt of this email.
call now
I await your prompt response
Yours in Service
SMITH BROWN ESQ.
Tel+44 7031961573

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Note: The comments on and attachment to this e-mail are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may
contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the
intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination,
distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the
original message, any attachment(s) and copies. Thank you for your cooperation

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