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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: "Mr. David Kalute" <seasand@cantv.net>
Reply-To: davkalute@zipmail.com.br
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 18:14:21 +0100
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE


BP. Abidjan 01 2190.

Dear ,

I choose to reach you because of your profile. I got your contact when
I was in search of a relative to the late beneficiary to an account
with my bank. Your profile happen to be the only one close enough to
be his far relative as you both have the same surname. I wish to
solicit for your urgent assistance in what i strongly believe will be
of great benefit to both of us. I am a Manager with a Bank in Cote D'
Ivoire also known as "Ivory Coast in English. The issue I am
presenting to you is a case of one of my late customer, a businessman,
a national of your country who died leaving unclaimed funds with my
bank. In the year 2003, my late customer made a fixed deposit here in
my bank totalling $15 million (Fifteen Million Dollars) which was due
to be collected in 2008 after 4 years maturity with accrued dividends.

On my yearly appraisal of my customers at the turn of every year, I
discovered that this fixed deposit remained overdue for retrieval. I
had put up series of mails and bank notifications to him which were
sent back as failure delivery. It was a year ago that I discovered
that he passed on along with his wife and only child through 2004
Indian ocean Tsunami while resorting at Khao Lake in Thailand. Since
learning of his death, I have managed his account expecting any of his
extended relatives to come forward to claim his money but all attempts
to trace his relatives over the years has been fruitless since he did
not declare any of his relative's information in his banking records
with us. Added to this, professional ethics obligates us to act with
extreme confidentiality when dealing with clients accounts of this
type. According to my country "Cote D' Ivoire" banking law, the money
will be bequeathed to the government if it remains unclaimed by a
certain period which is almost near. However, I don't belong to that
school of thought which proposes that the fortunes of deceased people
be given to the government and I am fully convinced that no one would
come forth to claim this fund, as all measures applied to locate the
relative of the late beneficiary has failed. I decided to front you
as a relative to the late beneficiary since you bear the same surname,
by so my bank management will acknowledge you as his next of kin and
accept to release the fund in your favour. This operation will be done
within 7 working days after you must have filed in your claims
transfer application to my bank. I will prepare every detailed
information and proof of fund that will assist you to claim the funds
as the next of kin to the late beneficiary. After the confirmation of
the fund in your account, the proceeds will be shared 50/50. Again, I
feel that you may be apprehensive and consider this amount too big for
you to defend. It does not matter, as there are documents to back it
up. This transaction is risk free and as the most senior account
manager with the bank, be rest assured that all documents to enable
you get this fund as the next of kin will be carefully worked out by
me. Do not be bothered that you are not related in any way to my late
customer as I am in position to affix your name as the next of kin.
Kindly send your reply enclosing your Full Names, Contact Address and
Phone Number to me for confidentiality, to enable me talk to you
before I send you the certificate of deposit and other relevant
information relating to this fund transfer. I need not emphasize the
confidentiality of this issue and I therefore appeal to you not
discuss this request with anybody, even if you decline to take full
advantage of this great and urgent opportunity in my bank.
I look forward to your quick reply.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr. David Kalute







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