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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: "BARR. GERALD BLASTER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barr_gerald08@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:50:58 +0100
Subject: Re: Confirm Receipt

Trowers & Hamlins
Sceptre Court 40 Tower Hill
London. EC3N 4DXE
 
This email may be a surprise to you because you did not give me the permission to do so and neither do you know me but before I tell you about myself I want you to please forgive me for sending the mail without
your permission.
 
I am Barrister GERALD BLASTER, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to late Mr. Henry Patrick, who died on the 8th day of February 2005 after a brief illness at the age of 85. Until his death he was a
consultant to several oil and gas industries.He had sojourn to so many countries before he came to Cairn Energy PLC oil and gas exploration and
Production Company based in the London, United Kingdom.
 
He was a knight in the Church and belonged to several non-governmental and scientific organizations. He was also great philanthropist and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary ClubInternational. I know it will
interest you to know that my late client Mr. Henry Patrick came to this country as an orphan, at a tender age and he has no wife or children.
 
And since his death at the age of 85 years, I have made several inquiries to his embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, but this has proved unsuccessful. But before he died, he had £2.7 million
in bearer bonds in a bank. After these several unsuccessful attempts to locate any member of his family to put claims on this money as his next of kin was not successful.
I decided to contact you topresent you as his next of kin to the bank so that you can put claims on the Inheritance without suspicion.
 
As you know, since I am his personal lawyer, it will not be acceptable by the paying bank for me to put claims on the Inheritance. Hence I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my
client in the bank where this money is lodged by acting as his next of in so that the money will be paid into your account.
 
However, I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and I from any breach of the law both international and local. All I require from you is your honest
co-operation to enable us conclude this deal on a clean slate without any hitch.
 
Please get in touch with me, with your personal telephone number or fax  number to enable us discuss further. For the urgency this requires, please get to me via my private email
Lookforward to your urgent response.
 
Best regards,
BARR. GERALD BLASTER 

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