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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: "Jonathan Spencer" <jonathanspencer30@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: j_spencer@myway.com
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 03:31:14 -0900
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST.

Dr.Jonathan Spencer.
General Accounts Officer.
Auditing control Unit
Citizens International Bank.
Plot 119 Adeola Odeku Street.
Victoria Island
Lagos Nigeria.
Tel: 00234-8038673048.


Dear Respectable one,

I am an accountant with CITIZENS INTERNATIONAL BANK; my name is Dr.Jonathan
spencer,a Banker. I am the Accounts officer to late Engr. ( Douglas ) a
National of your country, who is a contractor with the DEPARTMENT OF
PETROLEUM RESOURCES VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.

Here in after shall be referred to as my client On 30 JAN 2000, my client,
his wife, and their three children were involved in the Kenya airways flight
with registration number 5Y-BEN which departed from Nairobi to destination
Lagos and the all family died in this fatal air crash on 30 JAN 2000 Since
then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my
clients extended Relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name
over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by
the bankwhere these huge deposits were lodged, particularly the CITIZENS
INTERNATIONAL BANK. Where the deceased had an account Valued at about ($35
million u s dollars) has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin. Or
have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years
now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased
since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account
valued at ($35 million US Dollars) can be paid to you and then you and me
Can share the money.40% to me and 40% to you and 10% for any charity
organization in your country. While 10% for unforeseen bottlenecks we might
incur in this transaction an attorney will be contracted to help us
revalidate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used
to back up any claim we may make.

All I require is your honestcooperation to enable us see this deal through.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you and me from any breach of the law.

N.B

I SINCERELY RECOMMEND YOU SEND YOUR RESPONSE TO MY PRIVATE MAIL BOX FOR
CONFIDENTIAL REASONS: j_spencer@myway.com

Best regards,
Dr. Jonathan. Spencer


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