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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. Ian Shipman" <ianshipman@zwallet.com> (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 17:14:17 +0200
Subject: From: Mr. Ian Shipman

Dear Partner,

My name is Mr. Ian Shipman (A British Citizen), I work in a bank here in UK with a corresponding office in Germany.

I am contacting you on business transfer of a huge sum of money from a deceased account, though I know that a transaction of this
magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the conclusion of this transaction I
decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction. I got your contact on my private search of on the Internet.

PROPOSITION.

I am the account officer of a foreigner named Mr & Mrs. Raymond Beck in our UK branch office before I move to Germany for
official assignment. Mr. Raymond Beck died along with his wife in the plane crash of 31 October, 1999 on board the Egyptian Airline
990 alongside with other passengers.

Please consult the Cable News Network (CNN) website below for verification.

http://www.cnn.com/US/9911/02/egyptair990.list/index.html or

http://216.157.75.11/discus/messages/1073/400.html?1086886167

Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir. We cannot release the
fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines.

Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you stand as next of kin to the deceased, as all documentations will be
carefully worked out for the funds (US$35,000,000.00) to be released in your favor as the beneficiary's next of kin. It may interest you
to know that I have secured from the probate an order of mandamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries.

Because after four to five years the money will be called back to the bank treasury as unclaimed bills and the money will be shared
amongst the directors of the bank.

So it is on this Note I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the next of kin/beneficiary to this funds rather than allow
the bank directors to share this money amongst themselves.

Endeavour to furnish me the following informations if you are interested.

1. Your first and last names
2. Complete mailing address
3. Direct Telephone and fax numbers.
4. Date of Birth

These requirements will enable us file letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favor before
the transfer can be made.

I shall be compensating you with 20% of the Whole funds on final conclusion of this project for your assistance, and 10% set aside for
any expenses incured by both of us and 70% shall be for me, for investment purposes,because I intend to retire from active service
after the conclusion of this transaction.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust we have bestowed in you

Please reply to shipman@zwallet.com
Best regards,
Mr. Ian Shipman.




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