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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Bar. Steve Dikens" <ppp.dziekanowlesny@neostrada.pl>
Reply-To: barstevedikens1@aim.com
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:28:55 +0800
Subject: GOOD DAY

Good day,
 
The content of this message is highly classified and confidential so please treat with some privacy. My name is Bar. Steve Dikens, personal attorney to my client who died few years ago as a result of a heart-related illness in March 12th 2008, leaving behind in his bank account a deposit valued at US$6.4Million. His heart condition was due to the death of his family in the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake on the 26th December 2004 in Sumatra Indonesia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake
 
The bank has issued me a notice to contact the next- of-kin or the account will be declared unserviceable and the fund diverted to the bank treasury, so far, all my efforts to get a hold of someone related to this man has proved abortive, hence I have contacted you for cooperation and assistance in the receipt of US$6.4Million belonging to my late client since you share the-same lastname with my late cleint.
 
I seek your consent to present you to the bank as the next-of-kin/beneficiary to my late client so that the funds can be transferred from the account of my late client to your account in your country. All the legal/approval documents to back-up your claim as the next-of-kin shall be procured from the probate court in your names. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us achieve this transaction, the intended transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any infraction of the law.
 
I await the receipt of your complete details to proceed with the filling in process in court. I shall inform you of the procedural steps upon the reciept of your response indicating your sincere willingness to handle this business project with me. My Email: barstevedikens1@aim.com
 
Kind Regards,
Bar. Steve Dikens
 

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