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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Femi Pedro" <femi_p@hawaii.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: femi_p@pipop.org
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 12:49:52 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY

Mr. Femi Pedro

First Atlantic Bank PLC

4/6 Adetokunbo Ademola Street

P. O. Box 75369

Victoria Island, Lagos-Nigeria

website: www.firstatlanticbank.com

Dear friend,

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not yet met. The message could be strange but real if you pay some attention to it. I could have notified you about it at least for the sake

of your integrity. Please accept my sincere apologies. In bringing this message of goodwill to you, I have to say that I have no intentions of causing you any pains.

I am Mr. Femi Pedro, Managing Director/CEO, First Atlantic Bank of Nigeria. I managed to get your contact details through the Internet myself. Time

is of the importance and I am desperately looking for a person to assist me in this confidential business. A British oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Claude Brian Best

made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit on January 6, 1999, valued at US$25,000,000.00 (Twenty- five Million Dollars), for twelve (12) calender

months in my bank. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Claude Brian Best died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died

without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Claude Brian Best did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of

US$25,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Nigerian Law, at the

expiration of 4 (four) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Claude Brian Best so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of

kin. We shall employ the service of two lawyers for drafting and notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor for the transfer. A bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate the

transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the attorney and my position as the Managing Director/CEO guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested,please reply immediately via the private email address below;

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Awaiting your urgent reply via my email address.

Thanks and regards.

Mr. Femi Pedro



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