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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: "Paolo Abate" <philipajayiz@msn.com>
Reply-To: paoloabate@gmx.de
Date: Sat, 08 Oct 2005 05:13:16 +0000
Subject: I am still waiting for your urgent response

FROM THE DESK OF: MR PAOLO ABATE.

I am Mr. Paolo Abate, manager of Banca Intesa Private Banking Sector, Torino
Agenzia 3, Torino, ITALY. What I wish to relate to you will smack of
unethical practice but I want you to understand something pertinent. On June
6, 1997, Mr. Aloysius Han came to our Bank to engage in business discussions
with our private banking Division. He told us that he had a financial
portfolio of 5.7 million USD, which he wished to have us turn over (invest)
on his behalf. Based on the investment, we spun the money around which with
accrued profit and interest Stood at over 6.5 million United States Dollars.
In mid 1999, he asked that the money be liquidated because he needed to make
an urgent investment requiring cash Payments in Antwerp.

He directed that I liquidate the funds and Have it deposited with a firm in
Torino. I informed him that Banca Intesa would have to make special
arrangements to have this done and in order not to circumvent due process;
the bank would have to make a 9.5 % deduction from The funds to cater for
banking and statutory charges. He complained about the charges but later
came around when I explained to him the complexities of the task he was
asking of us. I undertook all the processes and made sure I followed his
precise Instructions to the letter and had the funds deposited at the Torino
based security Consultancy firm.

Mr. Aloysius Han told me he wanted the money there in anticipation of his
arrival from the U.S later that week. This was the last communication we
had, this transpired around 29th October 1999. In November later that year,
we got a call from the security firm informing us about the Inactivity of
that particular portfolio. This was an astounding position as far as I was
concerned; given the fact that I managed the private banking sector I was
the only one Who knew about the deposit at Torino based firm and I could not
understand Why Mr. Aloysius Han, had not come forward to claim his deposit.
All of a sudden information trickled in, apparently Mr. Aloysius Han was
dead. This was announced worldwide and below is the link from the CNN
announcement of the Death of Mr. Aloysius Han and 87 others on board Alaska
Airlines Flight 261.

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/


My bank immediately launched an investigation into possible Surviving next
of kin to alert about the situation and also to come forward to claim his
estate. This bank has spent great an amount of money trying to track this
man’s family; they have investigated for months and have found no family.
The investigation has come to an end.

My proposal

I am prepared to place you in a position to instruct Torino Based firm to
release the deposit to you as the closest surviving relation. Upon receipt
of the deposit, I am prepared to share the money with you in half. That is:
I will simply nominate you as the next of kin and have them Release the
deposit to you. We share the proceeds 60/40. I would have gone ahead to ask
the funds be released to me, but that would have drawn a straight line to me
and my involvement in claiming the deposit.

I assure you that I could have the deposit released to you within a few
days. I will simply inform the bank of the final closing of the file
relating to Mr. Aloysius Han. I will then officially communicate with a
Torino based firm and instruct them to release the deposit to you. You can
immediately contact me via the email address below

EMAIL: paoloabate03@yahoo.it

I am aware of the consequences of this proposal. I ask that if you find no
interest in this project that you should discard this mail. I ask that you
do not be vindictive and destructive. If my offer is of no appeal to you,
delete this message and forget I ever contacted you.

Best regards,

Paolo Abate.


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