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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: "Mr. Johnson Heade"<jheade04@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <jheade03@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 06:02:54 +0200
Subject: PLEASE REPLY

 
Hope this email gets to you as it is the third time I am sending it to you.
I have tried without success to locate either your contact address or
phone number and as such I resorted to email which is an unconventional
way of relaying an important message such as this. We are conducting a
standard process investigation/Recommendation on behalf of African
Development Bank Group (ADB), The African Investment Banking Conglomerate.
 
This investigation is about an account holder (Name Withheld) who bears
same surname with you and the circumstances surrounding his investments at
ADB Invest Account, the Investment arm of African Development Bank Group.
The ADB Private Investment client died intestate and nominated no
successor in title over his investments made at the bank amounting to over
7,000,000 in United States currency. The essence of this communication 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 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 issues mentioned.
You must appreciate that we are constrained from providing you with more
detailed information at this point.
 
We will provide you with additional information upon receipt of your
response to this email:jheade02@gmail.com
 
Yours Faithfully,
Johnson Heade
JH&W Consults Inc 233 Regent Street Mayfair,
London, W1B 2EL,
United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 871 504 9889
email:jheade02@gmail.com

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