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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: "Mr. Serrano Ostariz" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ostarizoier@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2017 11:32:42 -0500
Subject: So happy it`s yours

I am writing to confirm, if you received 'my previous e-mail' regarding you having the same Surnames with my late client/inheritance.I hereby request your assistance and delegate the necessary authority to you on behalf of my late client to carry out this claim. Who was a business magnate that lived in Europe for over a decade prior to his death. I got your detailed contact e-mail Address through your country data, while searching for any possible relative OR a last name similar to my late clients.
 
 
Prior to my late client death; He made a mutual investments deposit worth the sum of $7,400,000.00 (SEVEN MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) with a Financial safekeeping investment company (holding a client's securities or other assets on his/her behalf) here in Europe and declared it as a family-treasures. As the Attorney/Solicitor present during the deposit by my late client and family, the Financial safekeeping institutions has officially notified and instructed me to present heir/heiress to make Claims, so that he/she can be paid the outstanding deposit,which have been recorded by the company.Else the fund will be confiscated and taken to the Bureau of government treasury as unclaimed.
 
 
Further to extensive research, I decided to contact you; My suggestion to you is that I will like to present you as the heir/heiress to the Financial safekeeping institutions.Having a common Last Name with him is our ability to defend it and stand firm in other for us to achieve our goal;but I would like to assure you that I am proposing this project to you with the best of my intention.All I require from you is your honest co-operation; I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. Upon successful conclusion of this project, once the deposit is been release to you, we shall disbursed the content in the ratio of 50% /50% for me respectively as our benefit ($ 3.7 Million each).
 
 
Kindly confirm your understanding of this delegation by sign OR call my direct telephone number, via my office email address. Email: ostariz2@aol.com as above you can equally send a fax with your Telephone /fax number for oral clarification.
 
 
Call at direct telephone number for effective communication on how to proceed next.
Contact telephone number : + 34 631 716 797
 
 
We appreciate your assistance in this matter.
Your Printed Name: ----------------------
Telephone Number: -----------------------
 
 
Kindest Regards,
Mr. Ostariz Serrano
Executor of a Will
Tel : + (34) 631-716-797
Tel : 011-34-631-716-797
 
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