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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: Nelson J ohnson <office----go363@att.net>
Reply-To: nelson_johnson@live.fr
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:13:05 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From Barrister Nelson Johnson





NELSON JOHNSON AND ASSOCIATES
SOLICITORS AND ADVOCATES
15 GOVERNOR BAYOL BOULEVARD
COTONOU REPUBLIC OF BENIN. POST CODE +229
PHONE# 00229 98979481

Dear Friend,

How are you today? And how is your family ? Hope you are all doing fine?, if so glory be to God. I am Barrister Nelson Johnson, an attorney at law based here in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, A deceased client of mine, by name Mr Andrew and who here in after shall be referred to as my client, died as the result of a heart-related illness but before his death ,his entire family was involved in the last bomb explosion in Lagos Nigeria, so this means that after the death of his children and wife when he returned from a business trip and was told about the bomb incident, he went straight into sickness and developed a heart related illness until he finally died at the Saint Nicolas Hospital Lagos Nigeria .

I am contacting you to assist in transferring the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the the bank where this deposit valued at(us$65,000,000:00) sixty five million u.s.dollars was lodged. This bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated. I have tried all my possible best to locate any of my late client extended family or relation in your country through your embassy here in BENIN, but all my efforts was abortive since the embassy was not able to provide valuable information to this, again i received another letter from the bank which states that i should present to them the next of kin of my late client , so that they can pay the $65,000, 000:00 to him as the beneficiary of the funds or the money will be converted into their company treasury and will be regarded as unclaimed bills ,which after then the funds can not be paid to any body and they also make this
clear to me in the letter .

The reason i am contacting you is that i want us to do this business together , i will guarantee your security since i am also a lawyer and i want to also assure you that this transaction will not take more than 7 working days and so it is possible for you to use your own share to finance your present business over there in your country . My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, since MY CLIENT DIED WITHOUT ANY NEXT OF KIN OR CHILDREN, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you AS THE NEXT OF KIN . Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. 50% TO YOU AND 50% TO ME AS PARTNERS. All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable transfer of the funds into your account over there in your country, and understand that the late man is a foreigner and since you
are also a foreigner,

the bank will transfer to you the funds as the next of kin ,and then i will meet with you in your country to take my share of 50% ,i will prepare the legal backups , and understand that everything will be done legally and as soon as the whole funds are transferred to your account in your country, I will fly in to meet with you for sharing which i have indicated to you already in this proposal that we will share the money 50% to you and 50% to me.

This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law of my country or your country and understand that this transaction will not take your time ,will be complete in estimated time of 7 working days upon your acceptance and co-operation with this proposal. My late client is a Nigerian and in this a Nigerian can not stand as his next of kin ,this is the reason i am contacting you since you are also not a Nigerian it will be acceptable by the bank to pay to your account the funds as beneficiary and next of kin to my late client . Please contact me at once to indicate your interest, as soon as you respond i will send to you all vital documents regarding this deal.lastly,the fund is deposited in a bank in the REPUBLIC OF ENIN.

Send to me your
MOBILE NUMBER ___________________________
FAX NUMBER _____________________
ADDRESS ______________________
i am expecting your mail immediately.
(nelson_johnson@live.fr)
Best regards,
Barrister Nelson Johnson


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