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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: "John Walter" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infojohnwalt23@inbox.ru>
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2019 02:09:49 -0700
Subject: Important Memo !

Dear friend,

Please note that this letter is not intended to cause any embarrassment in whatever form, rather it is intended to contact your esteemed self, following the knowledge of your high repute and trustworthiness.

Firstly, I must solicit your confidentiality knowing fully well that a proposal of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried but I am assuring you that it is made in good faith and will be of mutual benefit.

I am John Walter, the Head of Accounts and Reconciliation Her Majesty Treasury United Kingdom and I have recently been saddled with the responsibilities of investigating and identifying the true beneficiaries of some huge unclaimed deposits in deceased accounts of some Banks and a preliminary investigation reveals that Seventy Million United States Dollars ($70,000,000) out of the unclaimed deposits belong to one Mr. Bruce Delmar who was one of the victims of the Malaysia Airline flight MH370 that disappeared on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing Chinau in which Mr.Bruce Delmar unfortunately along with his wife, their only child and other passengers lost their lives in the process. Further investigations reveals that several effort has been made to locate any of his extended relatives even to the Embassy of his Country but all these proved unsuccessful. He is a national of your country, who until his death was a major Sugar dealer in Europe.

At this point, the UK Treasury has issued a notice to me, unequivocally instructing me to produce the Next of Kin/Beneficiary to the said deposit in a deceased account within the next ten official working days, or have the account declassified and fully taken over by UK Treasury to enable the government channel it to other uses.

Considering the lack of success in a bid to locate his relatives for over Four years by the Bank and also by me since saddled with the new responsibility, I solicit your consent to enable me present you as the Next of Kin to deposit in the deceased account. It might interest you to know that I am the only one who knows the circumstances surrounding your new beneficiary status as the next of kin which means i am the only one authorized to present the next of kin and whoever I present will be the one approved to receive the funds.

Base on this development, i am contacting you to assist me in securing the deposit left behind by Mr.Bruce Delmar before they are declared as unclaimed by UK Treasury and subsequently advise the Bank to move it to the national Treasury for other uses. However, the New law of succession/claims/fund here indicates a duration in which such claims could be tolerated and this has made UK Treasury mandate me to investigate, identify and present the next of kin who will claim the funds and Failure to respond to this ultimatum would legally allow the UK Treasury to take possession of the deposit as unclaimed funds (Lacle of supersede).

Please note that the funds will be approved and released to you as the new beneficiary/ next of kin and upon the arrival the funds into your bank account, we shall proceed to share the funds according to a proposed sharing pattern/ratio of 50:50 i.e. 50% for me and 50% for you but if you have a contrary opinion regarding the sharing ratio, please state it clearly to enable us agree.

I will require your understanding and cooperation to enable us achieve the expected success within a legitimate arrangement, eliminating any liability resulting from any breach of the prevalent laws as everything must be done within the ambit of the laws.

Finally, your swift response will be appreciated.

Thank you.

Regards,

John Walter

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