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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: "Dr.Jerry Esso" <essoj53@walla.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: essoj54@walla.com
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 21:47:15 +0200
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANCE

From Dr.Jerry Esso
Affrica Develoment
Bank Benin-Cotonou
Tel:+229-95 08 30
Fax:+229-331-88-10


Dear Friend,

I am the manager of Bill and Exchange at the Foreign Remmittance Department Of AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK. I am writing following the impressive information about you through an internet buisiness proposal.
In my department I discovered an abandoned sum of $56.8, Us dollors (FIFTY SIX MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) in an account that belongs to one of our foriegn customer who died along with his entirer family in 25/DECEMBER/2003 Ref. No.:UNAMSIL/PIOR 056/2003 belonging to Union Transport African (UTA) when it crashed off the coast of Cotonou, the country's capital city.
Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to come over and claim his money because we can not release it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the decease as indicated in our banking guidlines and laws, but
unfortunately I learnt that all his supposed next of kin or relation died along side with him at the plane clash leaving no body behind for the claim.
It is therefore upon this discovery that I decided to make this business proposal to you and release the money to you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and I dont want this money to go into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill.
The request of a foreigner as next of kin in this business is occassioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a beninois cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.
I agree that 30% of this money will be for you as a foreign partner, in respect to the provision of a foreign account, 10% will be set aside for expenses incurred during the business and 60% will be for me. There after I will visit your country for disbursment according to the
percentages indicated.
Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as arrange,you must apply first to the bank as relation or next or kin of the deceased indicating your bank name, your bank account, your private telephone and fax number for easy and effective communication and
location where in the money will be remitted.
upon receipt of your reply, i will send to you by fax or email the text of the application. I will not fail to bring to your notice that this business is hicth-free and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for the transfer.
You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter on my private line Trusting to hear from you immediately.All correspondence should be made through my aternative email address below.

Alternative email:(essojerry1960@mail.ru)

Yours faithfully,
Dr.Jerry Esso

N-B:This information should be kept top secret until you confirm the transfer confirmation slip of the remittance,also advice that there is three legal documents my bank will required that will state you as the true and bonafide next of kin,if you are interested to assist me i will give you the details on how we will obtain the said legal documents with the help of a legal practitioner here.



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