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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: "Abery Keith E." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <reply.dhluk@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2011 11:45:13 -0000
Subject: Check Delivery {Contact ICS Dept. Immediately}

Greetings to you and your Family!
I am sure this mail would be coming to you as a surprise since we have never met before and you would also be asking why I have decided to choose you amongst the numerous internet users in the world. I come in peace. Just carefully read and digest the message below.
I am Mother Emily Abery Keith, 87 Years old woman and the wife  of Late Sir Abery Keith who died in a Plane crash on Monday the 7th of September 1998 GMT 14:22 UK while they were flying from New  York to Geneva.
Please see site below for more information.
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9809/swissair.victims.list/index.html
After the death of my husband I became the Head of his investment and now I am old. Presently, I have willed out almost half of our assets to several charity homes/less privilege in different countries. I and my husband also agreed to render support to an unknown individual we have not met before due to the fact that when we were still young in life we received an anonymous help from an individual we did not know and which we have not being able to know till date.
Three weeks ago I deposited a cheque in the sum of ?5,800,000.00 British Pound with DHL DELIVERY COMPANY to deliver to you upon your contact with them, but I was unable to notify you timely because of my ill health, Contact the COMPANY as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you because of the expiring date on the cheque.
I have paid the delivering cost, the Insurance premium and clearance Certificate fee. The only money you are expected to pay is ?250 British Pounds for the Security Keeping of the cheque for three weeks. I would have paid the fee but the security department in charge of the safe keeping of the draft insisted that I should not because they don't know when you will be contacting them and to avoid further cost.
Do Contact the Security Department of DHL EXPRESS immediately with the contact info below:
Contact Person: Mr. Micheal Heilman
Email Address: dhl.dispatchuk@w.cn
Tel: +44 702 409 4997
You are to reconfirm the below information to them to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to provide you with the method they wish to use in receiving their accrued security keeping fee of ?250 British Pounds for their immediate action.
1. Postal address:
2. Full Names:
3. Direct telephone number:
Security Keeping Code: (xxx/5678/dhl)
Be also notified that I will no longer be reading my emails or surfing  the internet as I have retired completely from the outside world to my  ranch, at this moment I have nothing to do with cars, emails and other luxuries, all further correspondence should be forwarded to the courier company for the delivery of your cheque to you.
Good Luck
Mrs. Emily Abery Keith

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