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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: "Mr. Kenneth Ridings" <kennethridings@outlook.com>
Reply-To: <kennethriddings@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 02:49:40 +0100
Subject: I will like to seek your help in a business proposal.

Mr. Kenneth Ridings
49 Billy Lows Lane, Potters Bar,
Hertfordshire EN6 1UX.
My Dear Sir,
 
I will like to seek your help in a business proposal, which although is sensitive by nature and not what I should discuss with someone I dont know and have not met using a medium such as this but I do not have a choice.
 
I am Mr.Kenneth Ridings, personal attorney to late Dr. Edward, who died of a cardiac arrest a few years ago leaving behind a large sum of money with a commercial bank in the Island of Seychelles which is a tax free zone, a place where plenty of rich people tend to hide away funds not ready to be used or invested, I am also the Clients manager. I will not mention the amount of money which runs into several millions in United States Dollars and name of bank presently until we have agreed to deal. I trust you will understand the need for such precautions.
 
So far, valuable efforts has been made to get to his people but to no avail, as he had no known relatives more because he left his next of kin column in his account opening forms blank and he has no known relative. Due to this development the bank has been expecting someone to come forward as a close relative to claim the funds otherwise as the Seychelles national laws would have it, any dormant account for five years will be declared unclaimed and then paid into the government purse.
 
To avert this negative development my colleagues and I have decided to look for a reputable person to act as the next of kin to late Dr. Edward, So that, the funds could be processed and released into his account, which is where you come in. We shall make arrangements with a qualified and a reliable attorney to represent you locally to avoid any inconvenience of you coming down to claim the funds.
 
All legal documents to aid your claim for this fund and to prove your relationship with the deceased will be provided by us. Your help will be appreciated with 30% of the total sum which I would disclose in my next email Please accept my apologies, keep my confidence and disregard this letter if you do not appreciate this proposition I have offered you.
 
I wait anxiously for your response.
 
Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Kenneth Ridings.

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