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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 Datti Williams <ooffooff191@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Barrister Datti Williams <dattiwill4@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2015 20:43:09 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Dear Friend,


 Dear Friend,
I do recognize the surprise this urgent but confidential letter brings to you,especially as it came from a stranger.I am Barrister Datti Williams,(SAN) a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to late Engr.Steve Moore a national of Isle of Man in UK, who was a contractor with Shell development company in Nigeria. On the 21st of April 1996, my client, his wife and their only daughter were involved in a car accident along sagamu express road, Lagos.
All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. And since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my client's extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to search over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence contacted you. As you may bear with me, a next of kin maybe the parents, sister, brother, close relative, associate, friend or even a well-wisher. So, whether you are related to him or not is never a barrier to realizing the transaction.
I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the money left behind by my client before they get confisicated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged.The Bank where the deceased had an account valued at about $27 million US dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next 21 official working days.
since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at $27 million US dollars(Twenty seven million united state dollars) can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money. I have all necessary details that can be used to back up the claim.
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of the law.Please get in touch with me by my email ( dattiwill4@gmail.com ) and send to me your telephone number to enable us discuss further about this transaction.
1,Your Name2,House Address3,Your Phone/Fax Number4,Your Age and Gender5,Your occupation
Best Regards,Barrister Datti Williams(Esq).

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