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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: "JOHN KELLY" <johkel@sympatico.ca>
Reply-To: johkelly@excite.com
Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2006 21:16:17 +0000
Subject: TRANSACTION

Mr John Kelly.
Urgent Greeting
From the Desk of:
JOHN KELLY,
My private email address: jkell40@tsamail.co.za
TO: THE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO
DEAR SIR,
RE:TRANSFER OF THE SUM OF US$20.5M DOLLARS INTO YOUR ACCOUNT FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION.THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF  IT'S NATURE AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET. THOUGH I KNOW THAT  A TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL MAKE ANYONE APPREHENSIVE AND WORRIED.
BUT IAM ASSURING YOU THAT ALL WILL BE WELL AT THE END OFTHE DAY.WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU THROUGH THIS MEDIUM DUE TO THE URGENCY OF THIS TRANSACTION AS WE HAVE BEEN RELIABLY INFORMED OF YOUR DISCRETENESS AND ABILITY.
LET ME START BY INTRODUCING MYSELF TO YOU. I AM MR.JOHN KELLY, A SENIOR ACCOUNTANT WITH  THE BANK  I CAME TO KNOW ABOUT YOU IN MY PRIVATE  SEARCH FOR  A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE THIS CONFIDENTIAL TRANSACTION AS  WE ARE STILL IN ACTIVE  SERVICE.
THE PROPOSITION.AN AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL,LATE ENGINEER BUTCH R. MIGUEL,AN OIL MERCHANT/CONTRACTOR WITH THE  GOVERNMENT ,UNTIL HIS DEATH THREE YEARS AGO  IN A  GHASTY AIR  CRASH IN AN EGYPTIAN AIRLINE, BANKED WITH US HERE AT BANK, AND HAD A CLOSSING BALANCE OF US$30.5M (TWENTY  MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WHICH THE BANK UNQUESTIONABLY EXPECTS IT TO BE CLAIMED BY ANY  AVAILABLE FOREIGN NEXT-OF-KIN TO THE LATE BENEFICIARY OR ALTERNATIVELY BE DONATED TO A DISCREDITED TRUST FUND  FOR THE  PURCHASE OF ARMS AND AMMUNITIONS.
SEQUEL TO THIS,FERVENT VALUABLE EFFORTS WERE MADE BY BANK TO  GET IN  TOUCH WITH ANY OF THE MIGUEL'S FAMILY OR RELATIVES BUT PROVED TO  NO AVAIL. IT  IS BECAUSE OF THE  PERCEIVED POSIBILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCATE ANY OF  THE LATE ENGR. BUTCH R. MIGUEL'S [NEXT-OF-KIN] HE HAD NO KNOWN WIFE AND CHILDREN) THAT THE MANAGEMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF OUR HONOURABLE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DECIDED THAT AN ARRANGEMENT BE MADE FOR THE FUND TO BE DECLARED UN-CLAIMABLE" AND SUBSEQUENTLY BE DONATED TO THE TRUST FUND FOR THE  PURCHASE OF ARMS  AND AMMUNITON TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE COURSE OF WAR IN  AFRICA AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL.
IN ORDER TO AVERT THIS CRUDE AND NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT, SOME OF MY  TRUSTED COLLEAGUES AND I NOW SEEK YOUR PERMISSION TO HAVE YOU STAND AS  THE NEXT-OF-KIN TO LATE ENGR. BUTCH R.MIGUEL, SO  THAT THE  FUND US$20.5M WOULD BE RELEASED AND PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE  BENEFICIARY'S NEXT-OF -KIN. ALL DOCUMENTSAND  PROVES TO ENABLE YOU RECIEVE THIS  FUND WILL BE CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AND MORESO AS  PROFESSIONAL BANKERS, WE ARE ASSURING YOU OF 100% RISK-FREE INVOLVEMENT.
YOUR SHARE STAYS WHILE THE REST WILL BE FOR MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR  INVESTMENT PURPOSES IN YOUR COUNTRY. IF THIS PROPOSAL IS ALRIGHT BY YOU,  THEN KINDLY GET TO ME IMMEDIATELY THANK YOU IN ANTICIPATON OF YOUR CO-OPERATION
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
JOHN KELLY
( Senior Accountant)

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