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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: mrssaritawoolrich@yahoo.co.in (Mrs Sarita Woolrich)
Reply-To: mrssaritawoolrich@yahoo.co.in
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 14:26:51 +0300
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE

Mrs Sarita Woolrich.
HSBC Holdings plc
8 Canada Square
London E14 5HQ

Attention:Sir/Madam,

I feel quite safe dealing with you in this business proposition having
gone through your remarkable profile on the internet.
Though, this medium (Internet) has been greatly abused, I choose to
reach you through it because it still remains the fastest, surest and
most secured medium of communication.
Am Mrs Sarita Woolrich, I am the credit manager in a bank here in
the United Kingdom. I am contacting you of a business transfer, of a
huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a
transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive
but I am assuring you that everything has been taken care off,
and all will be well at the end of the day. I decided to contact you
due to the urgency of this transaction.
PROPOSITION:
I am the account officer of a foreigner named Gerald Welsh who died in
an earthquake, tsunami-ravaged Indonesian province of Aceh along
with his wife and entire family in December 26 2004 you can confirm
this from the published by CNN. Since his death, none of his next-of-kin has shown up for the claims of this money as his heir, because he died along with his family same day (May their soul rest in peace). 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 a
next of kin to the deceased, as all documentations will be carefully
worked out by me and my colleagues for the funds ($12.5MUSD) to be released in your favour as the bonafide beneficiary of the fund. It may interest you to know that we have secured from the probate an order of mandamus to locate any of the deceased next of kin. Please acknowledge the receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with the following information if you are interested.
Send the following information:
1.Your Residential address, bank name & address and account number
2.Your phone and Fax number for effective communication.
Upon your acceptance of this proposal, we have also agreed on a sharing ratio:
1.30% for you as the account owner
2.60% for me and my colleagues
3.10% will be set aside to defray all incidental expenses both locally and internationally during the cause of this transaction.
Furthermore we shall be coming over to your country when the money is finally in your account and we shall be relying on your advise as regards to investment of our share, be informed that this business is genuine and 100% safe considering the high powered officials involved.
This is to effect the swift transfer of this fund into your account in less than (12) working days. If this proposal is acceptable by you, please endeavour to contact the payment Director Mr Mark Edwards immediately.Telephone:+447040114935
He awaits your urgent reply to his personal email address.
[ mrmar_kedward@yahoo.co.in ]
Do not take advantage of the trust we have bestowed in your person,
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Sarita Woolrich

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