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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: "Phil" <phillmoss@tiscali.co.uk>
Reply-To: vcenturion101@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 06:42:47 -0700
Subject: Hello

Dear Friend,

Please accept my sincere apologies if my email does not meet your business
or personal ethics. I will first introduce myself as Phillip, a staff in
the accounts management section of a well-known bank here in the United Kingdom.

One of our accounts with holding balance of £15,000,000 (Fifteen Million
British Pounds) has been dormant and last operated, three years ago. From
my investigations and confirmations, the owner of this account, a Foreigner
by name Nelson King died on the 4th of January 2002 in a plane crash in Birmingham
here in UK.

Since then, nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this money,
as he has no family member that has any knowledge as to the existence of
either the account or the funds; and also Information from the National
Immigration also states that he was single on entry into the UK.

I have confidentially discussed this issue with my partner and we have agreed
to find a reliable foreign partner to deal with. We therefore propose to
do business with you, standing in as the next of kin to the funds in question
and funds released to you after due processes have been followed.

This transaction is totally free of risk and troubles as the fund is legitimate
and does not originate from drug, money laundry, terrorism or any other illegal
act.

On your interest, let me hear from you.

Warm Regards,

Phillip Moss

___________________________________________________________

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