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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: Puja Singh <pujasi23n@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2016 05:37:50 -0500
Subject: Business Discussion Request


Dear Mr Bryan,

Good evening i am Puja Singh, the chief general manager at the Reserve Bank
of India. I chose to contact you because you share surnames(Keys) with a
late client of mine who left behind an investment proceeds of
$22,500,000.00 USD.

Years ago I encouraged him to consider various growth of funds with prime
ratings. He then invested ($19,500,000.00) Nineteen Million Five Hundred
Thousand United State Dollars only. Based on my advice, we were able to
spin the initial deposit with profit and interest to ($22,500,000) Twenty
Two Million Five Hundred United States Dollars. Unfortunately, my client
died in a car crash along with his wife and 2 kids here in Hamirpur in the
autumn of 2011, may their dear souls rest in peace. He died without leaving
a Will and several efforts were made to find his extended family through
the embassy without success. Because of the sensitive nature of private
banking procedures, most customers don’t nominate next of kin in their
investment, also usually in most cases they leave their Wills in our care.
In this case, our now deceased client died in-testate.

According to practice, the banking sector will by the end of next month
broadcast a request for statement of claim to Reserve Bank of India,
failing to receive viable claims they will probably revert the deposit to
the Management of Reserve Bank of India. This will result the money
entering the Reserve Bank of India accounting system and the portfolio will
be out of my hands and out of the public banking division. What bothers me
most is that according to the laws of this country at the expiration of 71
months the funds will revert to the ownership of the Indian Government if
nobody applies to claim the funds.

I am contacting you to assist me in repatriating the funds left behind
before they are declared unserviceable by my bank. I am seeking your
consent to present you as the next of kin of my late client since you share
and bear the same last name. As such, the proceeds of the account can be
paid to you as soon as you contact my bank and apply for the funds to be
released to you as the next of kin. I guarantee you that this will be
executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you and me from
breaching Indian Financial laws.

I am also proposing that after a successful execution of the business deal,
the funds will be shared in the ratio 50/50. You will get 50% and I will be
entitled to 50% as the initiator of the deal. What better time to take this
opportunity now that the whole of India is being distracted with this
demonetization saga. You know that I must have done my home work already
before contacting you. If this proposal is alright by you then kindly get
back to me by e-mail (only) for confidential reasons.

P.S When I get your response, I will send you the proof of funds belonging
to my late client for your perusal because it is against banking policy to
give out information and details of client without prior consent.

I await your swift response..

Kind Regards,
Puja Singh.

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