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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: Josef Horvath Parker <josefhorvathparker21@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2019 07:05:44 +0100
Subject: Dear: Friend,

Santander Bank, UK
Dear: Friend,

I am Mr. George Harrison, the Auditor General, Santander Bank, UK. In the
course of my auditing, I discovered a floating fund in an account, which
was opened in 2009 at Abbey National Bank before it was bought over by
Santander Group of which I am the auditor, belonging to a dead foreigner
who died in 1999. Every effort made to track any member of his family or
next of kin has since failed; hence I got in contact with you to stand as
his next of kin since you bear the same last name. He died leaving no heir
or a will.

My intention is to transfer this sum of $5.5M in the aforementioned account
to a safe account overseas. I am therefore proposing that you quietly
partner with me and provide an account or set up a new one that will serve
the purpose of receiving this fund. For your assistance in this venture, I
am ready to part with a good percentage of the entire funds. We will share
the funds in the proportion of 40% for you, 40% for me and 20% donated to
Charitable Organizations. After going through the deceased person's records
and files, I discovered that:

(1) No one has operated this account since 2009
(2) He died without an heir; hence the money has been floating.
(3) No other person knows about this account and there was no known
beneficiary.

If I do not remit this money urgently, it would be forfeited and
subsequently converted to company's funds, which will benefit only the
directors of my firm. This money can be approved to you legally as with all
the necessary documentary approvals in your name. However, you would be
required to show some proof of claim, which I will provide you with and
also guide you on how to make your applications.

Please do give me a reply so that I can send you detailed information on
the modalities of my proposition. I completely trust you to keep this
proposition absolutely confidential., please reply me through this email
address: inquirysection019@gmail.com

I look forward to your prompt response.

Best Regards,
Mr. George Harrison.
Auditor General,
Santander Bank

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