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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Eric Wise <ercwise20@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ericwise01@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2019 21:46:22 -1200
Subject: Confidential Proposal

From: Mr. Eric Wise
Auditor General,
Smith and Williamson holdings Limited,
London, United Kingdom.

Dear friend,

I am Mr. Eric Wise, the Auditor General, Smiths and Williamsons
Holdings Limited, United Kingdom. In the course of my auditing, I
discovered a floating fund in an account, which was opened in 1990
belonging to a dead foreigner who died in 1999. I have been able to
contact the Late account holder's attorney; but 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. Since his attorney
is aware, you will contact his attorney since he has all the legal
documents backing the fund.

My intention is to transfer this sum of Five Million, Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars only, 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 60% for you, 10%
for the attorney, 20% for me and 10% will be 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 1999.
(2) He died without an heir; hence the money has been floating.
(3) No other person knows about this account apart from the attorney
and there was no known beneficiary. That is why every process has to
go through the attorney.

If I do not remit this fund 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 with
all the necessary documentary approvals in your name. However, you
would be required to show some proof of claim, which the attorney 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, I look forward to your
prompt response.

Best Regards,

Mr. Eric Wise
Auditor General,
Smith and Williamson Holdings Limited,
London, United Kingdom

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