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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: JAMES BROWN <james_brown_2@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: james_brown_on@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 07:12:33 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Estate Fund of Barry Kelly


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: james_brown_2@yahoo.com

Dear Friend,



I am James Browm, Bank Manager of CitiBank Nigeria Plc.,Lagos,Nigeria.I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 1997, a Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr.Barry Kelly made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$26,500,000.00, (Twenty-six Million, five hundred thousand Dollars) in my branch.



Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month,we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Barry Kelly died from an automobile accident.On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.



I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Barry Kelly did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents,including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.



This sum of US$26,500,000.00 has carefully been moved out of my bank to a security company for safekeeping.No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian Law,at the expiration of 8 (eight) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.



Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as an Foreigner to stand in as the owner of the money I deposited it in a security company in two trunk boxes though the security company does not know the contents of the boxes as I tagged them to be photographic materials for export.



I am writing you because I as a public servant (Manager with the bank), I cannot operate a foreign account or have an account that is more than $1m. I want to present you as the owner of the boxes in the security company so you can be able to claim them with the help of my attorney. This is simple.I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the



Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will put you in place as the as the owner of the boxes. The money will be moved out for us to share in the ratio of 70% for me and 30% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the Attorney and this will guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via my email address

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction. Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.



(Buying of properties like houses,hotels etc) Please do send me your private/mobile telephone fax number so that we can have a smooth communication.



Thanks and regards.

James Brown,

Manager,

CitiBank Nigeria Plc.



- JAMES BROWN


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