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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: "Cristóbal Soto Alonso" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sotoalonsoc@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2015 03:45:43 -0700
Subject: Hello

Hello,

My name is Mr. Crist?bal Soto Alonso, a Bank officer here in Spain. One Mr. Frank R, a citizen of your country and Crude Oil dealer, which i will be making you his Relative and Cousin in our banking system data base, made a fixed deposit with my bank in 2008 for 108 calendar months, valued at US$35,500,000.00 (Thirty Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) the due date for this deposit contract was last 22nd of January 2014. Sadly Frank was among the death victims in the July 26, 2013 train crash disaster in north-west Spain that killed over 79 people. He was in Spain on a business trip and that was how he met his untimely end. My bank management is yet to know about his death, I knew about it because he was my friend and I am his Account Officer. Frank did not mention any Next of Kin/ Heir when the account was opened, he was not married and no children. Last week my Bank Management requested that Frank should give instructions on what to do about his funds,!
if to renew the contract.

I know this will happen and that is why I have been looking for a means to handle the situation, because if my Bank Directors happens to know that Frank is dead and do not have any Heir, they will take the funds for their personal use, so I don't want such to happen. That is why I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the Next of Kin/ Heir to the account, since you are a foreigner and my bank head quarters will release the account to you. There is no risk involved; the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breach of law. It is better that we claim the money, than allowing the Bank Directors to take it, they are rich already. I am not a greedy person, so I am suggesting we share the funds in this ratio, 50/50%, equal sharing. Let me know your mind on this and please do treat this information highly confidential. We shall go over the details once I receive your urgent response, kindly contact me via my direct E-mail:!
(sotoalonsoc@gmail.com) telephone

If this business proposal offends your moral ethics, do accept my sincere apology but if on the contrary you wish to achieve this goal with me, please kindly contact me with your interest to enable me start the process of claim immediately.


Have a nice day. Anticipating your communication.

Regards,

Mr. Crist?bal Soto Alonso.
Audit And Accounting Manager
Banco Cooperativo Espa?ol, S.A.
Te: +34 6319 397 27
Fax: +34 917 423 000

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