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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: "BARRISTER STEVE WILLIAMS" <barrstevewilliams75@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: barrstevewilliams@myway.com
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2007 09:58:04 -0900
Subject: MY DEAR HAM I NEED YOUR RESPONSE

FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER STEVE WILLIAMS
& CO (LEGAL PRACTITIONERS) ESQ.
LLB,LLM,BL,SAN
SENIOR ADVOCATE, INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PRACTITIONER
WILLIAM'S CHAMBERS & FINANCIAL ATTORNEY
#16 AKINTOLA WILLIAM STR.IKEJA LAGOS-NIGERIA
EMAIL: barrsteve_williams@myway.com
 
ATTN: HAM,
 
I AM A LAWYER. I AM THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO LATE MR.KENNETH HAM, A NATIONAL OF YOUR COUNTRY, WHO USED TO WORK AS A CONTRACTOR WITH CRYSTAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY INC.,HEREIN AFTER SHALL BE REFERRED TO AS MY CLIENT.
 
ON THE 21ST OF APRIL 2002, MY CLIENT, HIS WIFE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ALONG SAGAMU EXPRESS ROAD. ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE UNFORTUNATELY LOST THEIR LIVES. SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ENQUIRIES TO YOUR EMBASSY TO LOCATE ANY OF MY CLIENTS EXTENDED RELATIVES AND THIS HAS ALSO PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER THESE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY, HENCE I CONTACTED YOU.
 
I AM CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST IN REPATRIATING THE MONEY AND PROPERTY LEFT BEHIND BY MY CLIENT BEFORE THEY GET CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE FINANCIAL FIRM WHERE THIS HUGE DEPOSIT WERE LODGED. PARTICULARLY, THE FINANCIAL FIRM WHERE THE DECEASED DEPOSITED THE VALUED ABOVE USD10,000,000.00 HAS ISSUED ME A NOTICE TO PROVIDE THE NEXT OF KIN OR HAVE THE ACCOUNT CONFISCATED AND THE FUNDS RETURNED TO THE GOVERNMENT.
 
SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE RELATIVES FOR OVER TWO 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 ABOVE USD10,000,000.00 CAN BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND I CAN SHARE THE MONEY, 60% TO ME AND 40% TO YOU. I HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BACK UP ANY CLAIM WE MAY MAKE. ALL I REQUIRE IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION TO ENABLE US SEE THIS DEAL THROUGH.
 
I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE
ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW.
PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME BY MY E-MAIL ADDRESS AND SEND TO ME YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS TO ENABLE US DISCUSS FURTHER ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.I EXPECT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE INDICATING YOUR FULL INTEREST IN THIS GREAT BUSINESS TO OUR BOTH MUTUAL TRUST.
 
YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER WILL BE NEEDED FOR OUR EASY
COMMUNICATION.
 
PLAESE WRITE BACK THROUGH MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS
(barrsteve_williams@myway.com)
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
BARRISTER  STEVE WILLIAMS.
 


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