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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: "Kent Phillips, Esq." <kentphillips26@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: kentp161@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2011 01:07:13 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: 1 New Message...


From Kent Phillips, Esq.
Email: kentp161@gmail.com


Greetings to you, and I hope this e-mail reached you in the right frame of mind. Please do not be perplexed with this note because it hasn't reached you out of carelessness or accidentally but as intended.
A woman named Elizabeth Berlant, though deceased but happened to be my client died a year 9 months (21 months) ago of cancer. On performing my legal duty, I had the course of going through her files and documents where I saw a document stating that she had lodged a total sum of $26Million in a bank account here in London.
On the documents were Identical name to yours, plus a confirmed detail of the bank account she opened in the name where she lodged the money. She planned on transferring the said fund out of the country before her demise but couldn't help it dying before getting it done. All attempts to locate her relative has been unsuccessful and after due consultation I've decided to carry on with the transfer of the fund under a Next of Kin bearing the same name, here you come in. You'll be receiving the funds on arriving your country.

I've applied for the release/transfer and the management have concoured, only awaiting the supply of the location and account details to be furnished for the payment. A diplomatic envoy will transfer the consignment containing the funds to your region and location for payment upon signing of the Final Payment Release Fund Order Form which they will be arriving with to your country.

I need to forward your information to the Bank for the Transfer of the funds at once, Please outline the details as follows:
Name (Surname First):
Address/Zipcode/State:
Occupation:
Attach an Identification card (International Passport/Drivers License):

I need your assistance in deducting and transferring the funds from the account before the bank confiscates the funds. I'm prepared to circumvent all means of confiscation by the Bank. In that regard, you will be fielded as the next of kin whose name is on the account since it's a complete replica of the account name.
At the conclusion of this project you will be amply rewarded with a 35% of the total funds transferred, 60% will be returned back while 5% will be for the settlement of expenses done during the course of the transfer.
I'm Kent Phillips, attorney to Late Mrs. Berlant. Thanks for the time and attention, and hoping to hear from you any sooner.
Forward your response to this mail-box: kentp161@gmail.com and call me on the mobile number shown below: +44-7035967777

Sincerely Yours,
Kent Phillips, Esq.

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