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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: <steven_percival@wanadoo.es>
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 11:24:19 -0500
Subject: HSBC UNCLAIMED DEPOSIT PAYMENT

Mr. Steven Percival
Vice President, Custody and Clearing
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square, Level 24
London E14 5HQ


Dear Sir,

Through some discreet search from my local chambers of commerce, you and your organization were revealed as being quite astute in Entrepreneurship. One has no doubt in your ability to handle an international business of considerable TRUST, which may form the bedrock of an extensive business partnership in the future.

Proposition:

Presently in my bank here in the United Kingdom we have an estate, which
has remained unclaimed since 1999. And the estate will be converted to UNCLAIMED DEPOSIT and therefore forfeited if nobody comes forward to lay claim to the deposit before the end of this financial quarter, as is the practice and also indicated in the EU banking guidelines.

It may interest you to know that we have secured from the probate registry of the Supreme Court an order of mandamus to locate and transfer the rights and privileges of the Estate to any of the account's beneficiaries. This is why I am contacting you.

We now seek your understanding to have you stand as the
Beneficiary/Next of Kin to the deceased Do not be bothered as we will carefully and legally work out all necessary documents in your favor as the new Beneficiary/Next-of-Kin to the Estate.

I want to count on you as a person of respect and honest disposition and hope that you will handle this transaction with all maturity and confidentiality it deserves.

In order to get the process started, I would require that you contact me immediately by private email address steven_percival2000@yahoo.co.uk with all necessary contact information of yourself.

I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not
disappoint me.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Steven Percival

NOTE: If however, you are not disposed to assist, kindly delete/destroy this email in view of the confidentiality of the proposed transaction and interest of personalities involved.



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