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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: "Mrs. Lynda McPaul" <lyndamcp2@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 07:02:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: RE: BUSINESS MANAGEMENT


Barr. Lynda McPaul
Laurence Pountney Hill
London EC4R 0HH
UK.

ATTENTION: Marcel Haisma

I am Barrister Lynda McPaul, I have an urgent and very profitable business proposition for you that should be handled with extreme confidentiality.
On January 12,1997 a Consultant and contractor with the British Water Corporation Mr. Kim Bryan by name made a numbered time Fixed Deposit for twelve calendar months valued at US$20.9M (Twenty Million,Nine Hundred thousand United States Dollars Only) in a Financial and Security Company. Upon maturity they sent a routine notification in accordance with the Company policy to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month they sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers British Water Corporation that Mr. Kim Bryan died in the Korean Air Flight {801}, which crashed in Guam, on August 6,1997.
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list.
On further investigation, i found out that he died without making a Will and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made further investigations and discovered that Mr.Kim Bryan did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents including his Bank Deposit paperwork in the Financial and Security Company.
This sum of US$20.9M i understand was kept in the Financial and Security Company for safekeeping to enable him have direct and immediate access to the funds for a contract that he intend to execute.
No one will ever come forward to claim it and according to the Law of my country, at the expiration of 7 years the money will revert to the ownership of the British Government, if nobody applies to claim the fund. I decided to contact you to assist me receive his money for safe keeping and investments on his behalf as everything will be taken over by the British Government as provided in section 129 sub 63(N), British Banking Edit of 1961.
This prompted me to contact you.I want to front you as the next of kin and beneficiary to the late client thereby making you the legal beneficiary of the sum of $20.9 million U.S Dollars that is presently in the Financial and Security Company.
I contacted you because it will be very easy for the Financial and Security Company to believe since they know me as his Lawyer and moreover i am working with a key member of the Financial and Security Company.
The transaction is 100% legal and totally free of risks as all modalities has been perfected to ensure the hitch free success of the transaction. I have also decided that you will generously be entitled to 30% of the total amount. Upon my receipt of your reply confirming your willingness to assist me of this transaction, I will immediately arrange and transfer all the rights of ownership of this fund to your name to facilitate your easy clearance and transfer of the complete funds to your country.
You have nothing to worry about, as I will be there to assist you in anyway necessary with all proper documentation. If you are interested, send all possible suggestions and interest to it to my private mail box as soon as possible so that we can proceed.

I await your response urgently.
Regards,
Barr. Lynda McPaul.


















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