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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: "joseph williams" <josewil05@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 11:57:15 +0000
Subject: BARRISTER JOSEPH WILLIAMS

BARRISTER JOSEPH WILLIAMS (ESQ).
TRANSPARENT MARBLES CHAMBERS
18 Leinster Square - W2 4PR London
E-mail: josephwilliams@box.az
Attn: ADDRESSEE

Dear Sir/Ma

I am Barrister JOSEPH WILLIAMS (Esq.), Personal Attorney to late Mr. Morris
Thompson,
American expatriate businessman here in the UK. Unfortunately he lost his
life on Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31st 2000,
alongside his wife and only daughter. You can read more about the crash by
visiting the site below;

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


Before the plane crash, Mr. Morris Thompson made a numbered fixed deposit
for 18 calendar months valued at US$ 3 ,500,000.00 (THREE MILLION, FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) with BACLAYS BANK here in the UK.
Upon maturity several notices were sent to him but no response came from
him. I later found out that Mr. Morris Thompson and his family had lost
their lives in that plane crash. After further investigation it was also
discovered that Mr. Morris Thompson &#8217;s next of kin who is his daughter
also died with him. What bothers me most is that according to the laws of
the UK, at the expiration of 6 years the funds will revert to the ownership
of the BRITISH GOVERNMENT, if nobody applies to claim the funds. I have
since with the help of a diplomatic courier been able to perfect some paper
work and moved the funds from the bank to a security company abroad with a
tag that the funds will be claimed by Mr. Morris Thompson,s next of kin. As
a foreigner, I hereby solicit that you act as the next of kin to Mr. Morris
Thompson so that you will be able to
receive these funds for both of us.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:
I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall
come out successfully. I will prepare the necessary documents that will back
you up as the next of kin to Mr. Morris Thompson. To be able to do all these
successfully, I will need you to provide the following information:

[1] NAME: _________________________________
[2] ADDRESS: ______________________________
[3] AGE: __________________________________
[4] SEX: __________________________________
[5] TELEPHONE: ____________________________
[6] FAX: __________________________________
[7] OCCUPATION: ____________________

Also be informed that this Transaction will take us just 15 working days to
accomplish beginning from when I receive your Data. This process is 100%
risk free as I have set out all the modalities to see that a legalized
method is used because I will prepare all the necessary documents. Please
note that utmost secrecy and confidentiality is required at all times during
this transaction. Once the funds have been transferred to you as the next of
kin by the security company we shall share the funds in the ratio of 70% for
me, 25% for you and 5% set aside for any incidental expenses incurred during
this transaction. I will prefer that you reach me via my private email
address josephwilliams@box.az

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Barrister JOSEPH WILLIAMS


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