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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: "Jack John Wood LLP" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <infojjwwod@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 03:31:34 -0700
Subject: Compliments (Your inheritance)

John Wood LLP
Will & Probate Solicitors
Tel/Fax:+447092985165
Email: infojjwwod@aol.com

Compliments,

I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise, Please accept the

content in good faith. I do not intend to cause any grief to you and your

family. The reason for sending this mail is very fundamental to the

doctrine of human privileges and right. My name is John Wood LLP a legal

practitioner based in London and the personal Attorney to late Mr. Adams,

a national of your country who died along with his wife and two sons who

died in the Tube explosion between King's Cross-and Russell Square in

London.

My client was a successful and is an accomplished family man, who made

enough fortune before his untimely death. Since then I had made several

Inquiries through your Embassy to locate any of my clients extended

relative but this exercise has proved unsuccessful. After several

unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives through the

Internet, to locate any member of his family, not much progress was

recorded. My late client was an influential wealthy businessman, an oil

magnet here in London and he left behind a deposit of Twelve Million Two

Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds only (£12.2Million GBP) in his

domiciliary bank account in a commercial bank here in London.

After the death of my client his bankers contacted me, as his Attorney to

provide his next of kin who should inherit his funds. The board of

directors of his bank adopted a resolution and I was mandated to provide

his next of kin for the payment of this money within 28 Working days or

forfeit the money to the bank as an abandoned property. The bankers had

planned to invoke the abandoned property decree of 1996 to confiscate the

funds after the expiration of the period given to me.

Fortunately, I came across your name, to my greatest astonishment, I

discovered that you bear the same surname with my late client and

coincidentally, you are nationals of the same country. Being convinced

that you may be related with my late client or that you might provide clue

to my search, I therefore, decided to contact with these facts before me,

because of the similarities. By virtue of my closeness to the deceased and

his immediate family, I am very much aware of my client financial standing

and the bank account he operates.

I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper

to present you as the next of kin of my deceased client, so that you can

be paid the funds left in his bank account. I therefore seek your consent

to present you as the Next of Kin to the Deceased since you are at an

advantage, bearing the same surname and equally from the same country that

the proceeds of this Bank Account valued at £12.2Million GBP can be paid

to you. We shall both share the funds. 40% for me and 55% to you, while 5%

should be for Expenses or your Government may require as Tax.

I shall assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to

back up our claim. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us

seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a

legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.

Please get in touch with me by email to enable us discuss further. To

facilitate the process of this transaction, urgently forward to me

Your full names,
Telephone and fax numbers,
Address,
Age,
Marital status,
A copy of your identity and occupation.


For privacy and confidentiality reply using my email: jwllp5@aol.com or

Tel/Fax:+447092985165. I will be expecting to hear from you.

Best Regards
John Wood.

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