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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr Steven Fraser" <drsteven_fraser08@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 04 Oct 2005 22:30:54 +0000
Subject: from dr steven

Hello ,
My name is Dr. STEVEN FRASER.Director of Affairs in the South African
Reserve Bank in South Africa. I am presently here in the Netherlands on
a course; I am contacting you regarding a 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 modalities have being put in place for a hitch
free transaction.

PROPOSITION: One of my colleagues is the account officer to the deceased
named Gerald Welsh who died in an air crash along with his family in an
Egyptian airline 990 with other passengers on board. (
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm ) You can confirm
this from the bbc website. Since his death, none of his next of kin is
alive to lay claims for this money as his heirs because they all died
in the same crash.
We cannot release the funds from his account unless someone applies for
the claim next of kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking
guidelines. Upon this discovery, my colleagues and I seek your
permission, to have you stand as the next of kin to the deceased, as
all
documentation have been carefully worked out by us for the funds
US$20,500,000.00
million (Twenty million five Hundred thousand United States of American
Dollars) to be released/transferred in your name as the beneficiary
/next of kin. After five years, the money will be called back to the
banks
treasury
as unclaimed bills and the fund shared amongst the directors of the
bank. So, it is on this note that my colleagues and I decided to seek
for your assistance to stand as the beneficiary rather than allowing
the
bank directors to share the money among them at the end of this fiscal
year. It may also interest you to know that we have secured from the
probate and order of Mandamus to locate any of the deceased
family/beneficiary. Please acknowledge your willingness to assist by
furnishing me with the following:
1. Your full names and company name, in other to commence further.
2. Your bank details.
3. Personal telephone and fax number

At the end of the transaction your will be compensated with 25% of
the total sum for your assistance, While the balance will be for my
colleagues and I for investment purpose in your country because we
intend to
invest our share of the money in your country for a minimum of two
years under your supervision. If this proposal is acceptable to you,
please
endeavour to contact me immediately via my
email: drsteven_fraser01@yahoo.com

Please note that this transaction should be kept confidential between
both parties. I am looking forward to your prompt response. God bless
you.

Regards,
Dr. Steven Fraser


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