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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: =?UTF-8?Q?williams002?= <williams002@o2.pl>
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 17:44:18 +0200
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?_Payment_Confirmation?=



Mr.Harry Williams
Operations Officer
UBS Ag
Zurich,Switzerland
Email(harrywilliams@ciudad.com.ar)
Payment Confirmation
I am Mr.Harry Williams, operations officer, UBS Bank Switzerland; my office monitors and controls the affairs of all the transactions in the bank concerned with foreign contract payments.
 
I have before me list of funds, which could not be transferred to some nominated accounts as these accounts have been identified either as ghost accounts, unclaimed deposits and over-invoiced sum etc.
As it is my duty to recommend the transfer of these surplus funds to the Government Treasury and Reserve Accounts as unclaimed deposits, I have the opportunity to write you based on the instructions I received two days ago from the Committee on Contract Payments / Foreign Debts to submit the List of payment reports/expenditures and audited reports of revenues. Among several others, I have decided to remit the contract sum following my idea that we have a deal /agreement and I am going to do this legally.
MY CONDITIONS
1. The sum of USD$320.Million only will be transferred into your nominated account by telegraphic Transfer (T/T), confirm-able in 7 working days. After you have confirmed the transfer of the funds into your account, 35% out of the whole sum will be for you, 10% for any expenses that may accrue during the transaction while 55% will be for me.
2. This deal must be kept secret forever, and all correspondence will be strictly by email / telephone, for security purposes.
3. There should be no third parties as most problems associated with fund release are caused by agents or representatives.
If you AGREE with my conditions, l advise you on what to do immediately and the transfer will commence without delay as I will proceed to fix your name on the Payment schedule instantly to meet the seven working days mandate.
I hope you don't reject this offer and have the funds transferred.
Waiting for your soonest response and reply through my private e-mail address: (harrywilliams@ciudad.com.ar)
Mr.Harry Williams,
Operations Officer,
UBS Ag, Swiss.

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