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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: "PRIVATE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <c0_dean@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2016 10:43:03 +0100
Subject: BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP REQUEST(REPLY IF INTRESTED)

Hope this email finds you well
   My name is Courtenay Griffiths QC a British Lawyer presently with 25 Bedford Row Barristers Chambers, United Kingdom. I am contacting you to solicit your assistance / acceptance to be Presented as the NEXT OF KIN  to my Late Client who was a Chinese born contractor before he died. My deceased Client was to be paid his already completed contract payment of ?45 Million (Forty Five Million Pounds only) by Falkland Oil & Gas Marketing company UK, unfortunately my client lost his life to cancer early last year leaving no clear beneficiary as next of kin who will claim this payment except some vital documents related to this contract payment, all efforts applied by me to trace his Next of Kin PROVED abortive because he did not make any will prior to his death, he was also the only child to his late parents.
   The Governing Board of directors of the Falkland Oil & Gas Company has Contacted me on this matter as his lawyer and i am yet to Provide a Next of Kin or any of his relative to lay claims on this contract payment which leaves me with no other option than to contact you to partner with me in receiving the payment as His next of Kin. Under a clear and legitimate agreement between you and me, I shall present you as the next of Kin of my late client to Falkland Oil and Gas Company so that the contract payment can go to you. I propose the sharing formula of 50/50 if you will agree to my preposition.
   Please Indicate your interest in accomplishing this with me so as to enable me furnish you with adequate documentations supporting this claim and also intimate you on your roles in making this work for you and i.
   Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
Kindest Regards
Courtenay Griffiths QC
25 Bedford Row Barristers Chambers
London WC1R 4HD, United Kingdom

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