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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: "Donald Morgan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paulsmith3ca@globomail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:44:12 -0500
Subject: RE: PRIVATE OFFER TO YOU.

FROM: DONALD MORGAN.
2737 KIPLING AVE. ETOBICOKE,
ONTARIO, CANADA.

Tel: +1-416-477-3734.


Note: This is absolutely Confidential.

My name is Donald Morgan from the Bahamas. I am a retired investment banker with an offshore Bank in the Bahamas. A former colleague of mine, who is now a senior Accounts Manager with the bank directed me to contact you with regards to an American client of the bank named James Burton. James Burton had an investment account with the bank which he opened in June of 2001. On the 5th of May 2006, there were some unusual transactions carried out on this account which raised a red flag and serious room for suspicion. There were series of withdrawals made on this day from the account but all withdrawals made by the account holder James Burton were designed to be made either online or by written instructions which must be backed up by a phone call to the bank 24 hours before the withdrawal by James Burton to authenticate the withdrawals but that did not happen at this particular occasion. The bank then decided to contact the account owner James Burton to verify these unusual withdrawals. All attempts made by the b

I am quite aware that you may feel a little uncomfortable, apprehensive about this letter, and unsure as to why we contacted you. The reason I have contacted you is because the financial laws of the Bahamas states that all banks are required to report and transfer bank accounts that have remained dormant for over four (4) years to the Bureau of Public Trust as unclaimed and abandoned funds. My former colleague and his partner who have asked me to contact you are senior officers in the bank, and they are very familiar with the process of claiming abandoned funds of this nature. If you accept to receive this money, my partners are very confident that with your cooperation and partnership, the balance currently left in this account which is $15.7 Million will be ours for good. My partners are in a position to transfer this money to any account you provide as long as you can give us guarantee that our interest will be well secured. They will prepare documents to show that you are the TRUSTEE AND CUSTODIAN to the

I will appreciate a quick response from you after you have read this business proposal. You can also call me to acknowledge the receipt of this letter so that I can provide you with detailed clarification about this project. Please indicate a private cell phone or telephone number where you can be reached.

Sincerely Yours,

Donald Morgan.
_____________________________________________________________________
Important Notice: Contents of this letter are confidential and meant for the intended recipient named above; if you have received it in error and you are not the intended recipient, please destroy it immediately.

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