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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: "Gordon Pell" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <gordonpell@yandex.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2019 07:37:34 -0700
Subject: Next of kin request,,

From the desk of: Gordon Pell
Coutts Private Wealth Management
London, United Kingdom.
28/3/2019.
 
Your Attn,
 
Goodday, I am Gordon Pell, the deputy system and control director at Coutts Private Wealth Management here in UK, I write to solicit for support and assistance from you to carry out this business opportunity in my bank.
 
Lying in an inactive account is the sum of Eighteen Million Pounds sterling belonging to a foreign customer(Mr.Neil Slater) who was a gas consultant here in UK,he happened to be deceased during a vacation trip with his wife(Mrs.Helen Slater) on board One-Two-Go Orient-Thai Airlines flight OG269 Phuket Airport plane crash of Monday,17th September 2007 from Bangkok to Phuket.
Info of this crash was on the news which we have tried to notify his relatives but to no avail, see link below for more detailed information:
 
http://airlineworld.wordpress.com/2007/09/17/update-on-one-two-go-airlines-crash-in-phuket-thailand/
 
Ever since he died the bank has been expecting his next of kin to come and claim these fund which cannot be released unless someone applies for it as next of kin, as indicated in our banking guidelines.Unfortunately, he has no family member in UK or Over-sea who are aware of the existence of the funds,at this junction, I have decided to do business with you by soliciting your assistance in applying as the next of kin to the bank then the money will be released to you, as I do not want the money to go into the bank treasury as an unclaimed bill, because the banking laws and guidelines stipulates that if such money(s) remains unclaimed  for a period of Twelve years(12yrs),the money will be moved into the bank treasury as an unclaimed bill.
My request for a foreigner as next of kin is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a British cannot stand as next of kin.
 
50% of the money will be your share as a foreign partner and your assistance to actualise this deal,thereafter I will visit your country with your help once the money hits your account for disbursement according to the percentage indicated.
To effect the immediate transfer of the fund to you as agreed, you must apply first to the bank as the next of kin to the deceased,then we will follow up all formalities for the transaction.
 
Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you, the text of application you are to send to the bank,and further clarify you in other issues as to effect this business deal.
Awaiting to hear from you urgently.
 
Best Regards
Gordon Pell.
 
 

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