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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: Bruce Obosom <obosomb@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2022 07:22:09 +0200
Subject:


Hello,
My names are Barrister Bruce Obosom a legal practitioner in lome,Togo. I am
the personal attorney to your brother/relative,Who died with his family in
July 2007,and he left no record of any close relatives,I have made several
attempts to locate any of my late client's extended relatives,which has
proved unsuccessful. In regards to this,my late client deposited the sum of
$5,700,000.00 with a Bank here in lome,Togo. the bank has issued me a final
mandate to provide my client’s next of kin or have the fund liquidated.
Based on my unsuccessful search for his relatives for the past four(4)years
now,i therefore seek your consent to present you as the next of
kin/inheritor to my deceased client,since your from the same place with
him,so that the money will be transfered to your account for us to share on
an agreed percentage. As his personal attorney,I have all the legal
documents and all it takes to back up this claim. Upon your reply
(obosomb@gmail.com),i will fill you in with the procedures.

Thank you.

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