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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: "Harry Vickers" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <havicker@yahoo.cn>
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 02:51:18 +1100
Subject: Good Business Partnership

Dear Sir,

I know this is not the best medium to contact you but I am most compelled due to the urgency and time frame needed to execute this project. I wish to introduce to you a project that would be of immense benefit to both of us. Being a banker, it is possible that we may be tempted to make funds out of our client's situations; when we cannot help it or left with no better option.

The issue I am presenting to you is a case of my client who died without a will of intestate and left US$27 million in the coffers of our bank. It was most unfortunate that he and his supposed next of kin died on the same day in auto-crash. However, I don't belong to that school of thought which proposes that the funds of unlucky people be given to the government as that is the regulation if it is unclaimed.

I therefore seek for your assistance in presenting you as next of kin to the deceased. Please give your response once you receive this email to enable me reveal other details pertaining the claim, the deceased and our country's inheritance procedure.


Regards,

Harry Vickers

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