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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: "steven percival" <stevenpercival111@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 04:38:31 +0000
Subject: From Mr. Steven Percival

 
Mr. Steven Percival
Vice President, Custody and Clearing
HSBC Bank plc
8 Canada Square, Level 24
London E14 5HQ
Tel: +44 704 010 1546
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
 
Through some discreet search from my local chambers of commerce, you and your  organization were revealed as being quite astute in Entrepreneurship. One has no doubt in  your ability to handle an international business of considerable TRUST, which may form  the bedrock of an extensive business partnership in the future.
Proposition:
Presently in my bank here in the United Kingdom we have an estate,which has remained unclaimed since 1999. And the estate will be converted to UNCLAIMED  DEPOSIT and therefore forfeited if nobody comes forward to lay claim to the deposit  before the end of this financial quarter, as is the practice and also indicated in the EU  banking guidelines.
It may interest you to know that we have secured from the probate registry of the  Supreme Court an order of mandamus to locate and transfer the rights and privileges of  the Estate to any of the account's beneficiaries. This is why I am contacting you.
I now seek your understanding to have you stand as the Beneficiary/Next of Kin to the deceased Do not be bothered as we will carefully and  legally work out all necessary documents in your favor as the new  Beneficiary/Next-of-Kin to the Estate.
I want to count on you as a person of respect and honest disposition and hope that you  will handle this transaction with all maturity and confidentiality it deserves.
Please send me your full details which includes your full names and address and your direct mobile phone number to enable me call you up. I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me.
 
Yours Sincerely,
 
Mr. Steven Percival
 
NOTE: If however, you are not disposed to assist, kindly delete/destroy this email in view of the confidentiality of the proposed transaction and interest of personalities involved.

Anti-fraud resources: