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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: Ryan Anderson <ryan_anderson@terra.com>
Reply-To: ryan_anderson11@terra.com
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:24:25 +0100
Subject: Please Confirm Receipt

AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING UNIT.
FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.
LLOYDS TSB GRUOP PLC UK.

Hello:

It is with great honour and previledge that i was able to capture your contact from the internet.My Name is Mr. Ryan Anderson,a credit officer of the Lloyds TSB Group plc Uk.I am writing you 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 US$27,000,000.00,(Twenty-Seven Million United state Dollars).in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers, Late Mr. Robert Thorgrimson an American who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which sad event happened on January 31, 2000,
including his wife. You can read more about the crash and our late customer by visiting this site:

http://www.greatdreams.com/plane261.htm
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/thor02.shtml

Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin or relatives to come over and lay claims to his money because we cannot release it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines. Unfortunately, I learnt that his supposed next of kin being his only daughter died along with him in the plane crash leaving nobody with the knowledge of this funds behind for the claim. It is therefore upon this discovery that I and some other officials in this department now decided to make business with you since you are a native of the same country with our late customer and release the money to your possesion as the next of kin/beneficiary of the funds for subsequent disbursement.

The banking law and guidelines here stipulates that such money remained after some time will be transferred into banking treasury as unclaimed funds. We agreed that 40% of this money would be for you as gratification for assistance rendered,55% will be for me and my colleague, while 5% should be for Expenses or Tax as your Government may require. I will arrange to meet with you in your country for the disbursement and sharing of the funds according to the percentages indicated above once this money gets into your account.Please be honest to me as trust stands to be our watchword in this transaction. Our assurance is that your role is risk free to accord this transaction the legality it deserves as with all modalities put in place we are certain in actualizing a hitch free transfer of the funds without any complications. Kindly signify your intention to assist by sending me an email for further procedures relating to this transaction.

Please note that all necessary arrangement for the smooth release of these funds to you has been finalized. We will discuss much in details when I receive your response. If you are interested in this project,please contact me as a matter of urgency for further directives.And most importantly,endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue.Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated via my private email address[ryan_anderson11@yahoo.pl]

Regards
Mr. Ryan Anderson



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