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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: "William Robert" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <williams_robert014@outlook.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 17:37:12 -0500
Subject: Confidential Business Proposal.

BILLS AND EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT                    
CALLE JUAN 23. PL2, 28090, MADRID - ESPAÑA     
TEL: +34-634 142531
FAX: +34-911 881424
Date: 15/08/2014
 
 
ATTN: Dear Friend,
 
Good day! I know this letter may have come to you as a surprise based on the fact that we do not know each other before.  First of all, let me introduce myself to you. I am Williams Robert, working with BANCO ICBC, here in Madrid – Spain. I have a confidential business proposal. I am contacting you in regards to a deceased client of our bank who had a ghastly accident in Mainland China on March 12TH, 2013. He shares the same Last Name with you. He is an expatriate engineer who worked in Spain for Twenty years.
 
Before his death, he deposited the sum of (USD122, 500,000.00), One Hundred and Twenty Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars here in our bank vault. Documentations show that these funds can only be claimed by his family member / relative. Unfortunately, he died with his wife and two kids and he left no will or outstanding instructions regarding this deposit before his death.
 
We have made several efforts to locate any family member, but this has been futile. However, because of the International Financial problems here in Spain, a lot of reforms have been made within the Spanish Financial system. This includes the new law on succession claims which indicates a duration in which such inheritance could be tolerated. For this reason I searched for you and decided to contact you and present you as the next of kin to the deceased customer.
 
I have put in place all necessary documentations concerning the release of this deposit and it is my intention to introduce this opportunity to you based on the fact that you bear the same surname with our late client. Since nobody is coming for this deposit and I am one hundred percent sure there is no known relative. I have all proper documentations to instill you as a family member. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us achieve this transaction. Upon your acceptance to cooperate, I want you to know that 40% of this deposited fund will be yours as our foreign partner, while 60% will be for me and my partner here in the office.
If you are interested, please contact me via Tel: +34-634 142 531 or E-mail: williams_robert014@outlook.com
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand this transaction properly.
 
However, if this business proposal offends your moral ethics, do accept my sincere apology, or if on the contrary you wish to achieve this goal with me, kindly get back to me with your interest for further explanations.
 
 
Kindest Regards
William Robert
Email: williams_robert014@outlook.com

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