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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: "Barrister Aziz Tan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barr.aziztan2c@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 16:11:21 +0800
Subject: Attention....

Good Day,


I am sorry for contacting you through this medium without a previous notice; though, this medium (internet) has been greatly abused, I choose to reach you through it because it still remains one of the fastest medium of communication. My name is Barrister Aziz Tan, a Senior Advocate and legal consultant in practice here in Malaysia, I had a client, a contractor based here in Malaysia now deceased. My client lost his life alongside his wife and only child in a plane crash (Flight OG 269 from the Thai capital, Bangkok en-route Phuket) on Sunday, 16 September 2007, 21:59 GMT http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6997381.stm

Prior to the Death of my Late Client, He secured a contract of US$19,000,000.00 million from the Kingdom of Bahrain, which He successfully executed, but the balance of $11,300,000.00 contract payment was in the Process of being transferred into his Account which he submitted to the Bahrain Government before he lost his life in the plane crash.

Three Months after his sudden death, the Government effected the transfer of the balance of his Contract Funds into the account that my deceased Client has on his file with the Government. As his consultant and personal lawyer, I have been officially notified and instructed by the bank where the money is currently deposited that I should provide and forward the particulars of my deceased client's next of kin so that the funds in his account can be remitted into his Next of Kin's account.

However, as his personal lawyer and close confidant, I want you to know that my late Client died intestate, i.e. he died without leaving a Will and all my efforts to locate any of his relatives whom I can present to the Bank has proved abortive.
Therefore I am seeking for your consent to present you as the relative/next of kin and subsequently the beneficiary of the fund, so that the proceed of this account valued at US$11,300,000.00 can be paid to you.

I am contacting you for two reasons. As his legal consultant I have been officially notified and instructed by the bank to provide and forward the particulars of the deceased next of kin so that the funds in his account can be remitted into his Next of Kin's account in accordance with the Laws here in Malaysia.

If you find yourself able to work with me, contact me immediately, if you give me positive signals, I will initiate this process towards a conclusive end.
I wait to hear from you.

Yours Faithfully
Barrister Aziz Tan

FERNANDEZ & SELVARAJAH CHAMBERS
ADVOCATE & SOLICITORS

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