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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 Abah Martin." <office.files7@aol.com>
Reply-To: remittance_manager2015@outlook.com
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2018 18:52:37 +0000
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION

Good Day, In the course of our General Auditing and Account revision in this first quarter of the year 2018 ending in a couple of weekend from now, we discovered that the Bank Accounts belonging to some Benefactors have been changed on the basis that the owners have died some time last year or have given out an authorization note of change of data. After the investigations however, it was revealed that there are Foreigners who are collaborating with Retired Staffs to make these changes illegally without the knowledge of the Bonafide Benefactors and one traced to your own change is this Mr. Rick Jones who said you are dead, hence they have forwarded some documents of funeral service held for you so as to divert your fund. They have also forwarded this bank account below as the new account that will receive this money. Bank: Hang Seng Bank Bank Address: 83 Des Veoux Road, Central - Hong Kong Account Name: Rick Jones Account Number: 235-325172-882 Bank Code: 024 Swift Code: HASEHKHH But we wanted to confirm if actually this is true and hence decided to write to your email address which after 2 days from now and there is no response, we shall make the final decision to pay him on consideration and acceptance that you are dead indeed and go on with the transfer. If proved otherwise by you are alive, please forward to us all the related Benefactors particulars including your Telephone number, contact address. These details from you will help to assist us reach a conclusion that you are not dead. Anything contrary to this claim will help us charge this man to court and prosecute him while your fund will be paid to you immediately without any further delay. You have to get back to us on time for us to commence legal proceedings against Mr. Rick Jones and his accomplices since such fraudulent intruders have caused us a lot of funds diversion in the past and we can not allow such mistakes any longer. Yours Faithfully. Mr Abah Martin. Zineth Bank Plc

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