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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: "Matins Abu" <matinsabu@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: martinsabu0003@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 07:21:11 -0500
Subject: YOUR ATTENTION IS NEEDED

From: Barrister Martins Mark Abu(Esq)
Jauche & Associates Solicitors,
Corporate & Property Consultants
Lagos - Nigeria.

Dear Friend, I hope this meets you in good health. My name is Martins Mark
Abu Esq. a Legal Practitioner and Attorney to late Mr. Ziya Bazhayev,who
died in the plane crash of Yak-40 jetliner on March 9, 2000. You may follow
the Link below to read about the Plane Crash my client lost his life:
http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/031500/usn_LA0703.001.shtml&
http://news.1chinastar.com/ll/english/61934.shtml My late client was an
influential Wealthy Businessman,a Russian Contractor in myCountry and a
Russian big time Oil Dealer and the Principal owner of Oil Alliance Company
and he left behind a deposit of Fifteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollar(US$15,500,000.00USD) in his Domiciliary Bank Account in
a commercial bank here in Country.

I have employed every method to locate any of my clients extended relatives
but this exercise has proved unsuccessful, due to my inability to locate any
of his relative, I now have a view of investing this fund with you, which is
my main reason of contactingyou. After the death of my client his Banker
contacted me,as his Attorney to provide his next of kin who should inherit
his fortune. The board of Directors of his bank adopted a resolution and I
was mandated to provide his next of kin for the payment of this money or
forfeit the money to the bank as an abandoned Estate.

The bank had planned to invoke a clause in the property Act, to confiscate
the funds after the expiration of a period given to me. In spite of this and
at the point of desperation,

I came across your contact, while trying to locate documentation's regarding
possible relatives of my client in his Country of Origin. I am believed to
be convinced that you may be able to act in locus for my late client as his
next of kin,

I therefore, decided to contact you with these facts before me, because of
the status quo. By virtue of my brief and my closeness to the deceased,

I am very much aware of my client's financial standing and the bank account
he operated here in my country. I have reasoned very professionally and I
feel it will be legally proper to present you as the next of kin of my
deceased client and the sole beneficiary of his estate, so that you are be
paid the funds left in his bank account, hence I contacted you by seeking
your consent to present you as the Next of Kin. The bank needs only the
facts as to be presented legally. The rest is between you and I and with my
guidiance, we can have the money paid into your account, once this is done
we shall both share the funds. 50% to me and 40% to you, while 10% would be
for all Expenses and Taxes, as the Law and Government may require, I shall
assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up your
claim. All I require is your honesty and co-operation to enable us succeed
in this deal, I guarantee that this deal will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any Breach of law. Please get in
touch with me upon the receipt of this proposal.

Best Regards,

Barrister Martins Mark Abu(Esq).


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