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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: "Vanessa" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <guti_vanesa3@sify.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2010 11:49:48 +0200
Subject: Notice


NOTICE OF BEQUEST

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Engr. Luis Eduardo, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address on the WILL.

I wish to notify you that Late Engr. Luis Eduardo made you a beneficiary to his WILL.He left the sum of Twenty two million five hundred thousand United States Dollars ($22,500.000.00USD)to you in the codicil and last testament to his WILL.

This may sound strange and unbelievable to you, but it is real and true. Being a widely travelled man, we believe he must have been in contact with you in the past.

Engr. Luis Eduardo until his death was a member of the Helicopter Society and the Institute of Electronic & Electrical Engineers. He had a very good heart and was a philanthropist. His great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time.

Late Engr. Luis Eduardo died on the 13th day of January 2008, at the age of 80 years, and his WILL is now ready for execution. According to him this money is to support your humanitarian activities and to help the poor and the needy in our society.

Please if I reach you this time as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as soon as possible to enable me conclude my job.

I hope to hear from you in no distant time through the email address or phone number below.

Email: guti_vanesa3@sify.com
Phone: +34 672 563 205

Yours in Service,
Vanesa Guti (Mrs)
Secretary To-
Alexandrus Alfonso.


Anti-fraud resources: