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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "BARRISTER FRED UMEH" <barr_umeh@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 23:14:49 +0000
Subject: URGENT RESPONSE

Umeh Chambers,
Legal Practitioners
Solicitors At Law
No: 55 Pyne Cresent,
Victoria Island,
Lagos-Nigeria
EMAIL: barr_umeh@ski.de

RE:Attention,

Your name and e-mail address came up in a random draw conducted by our law
firm, (Umeh & Co Chambers,) in Lagos,Nigeria. I am barrister Fred Umeh, the
Legal Adviser and counsel to a deceased expatriate contractor who used to
work with Zenith Oil and Gas Company here in Nigeria thereafter shall be
referred as my late client.On the December 26th 2003, my client and his
entire family died in a plane crash in cotonou, Benin Republic. You will
read more stories about the crash on visiting thiswebsite:
Www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/ he was a well known
philanthropist before he died, he made a Will stating that $9.2m(Nine
Million Two Hundred Thousand USA Dollars Only) should be donated to any
Philanthropist of our choice overseas.We have made a random drawwhere your
name and e-mail address was picked as the beneficiary to this Will.

I am particularly interested in securing this money from the bank, because
they have issued a notice instructing us to produce the beneficiary of this
Will within two weeks or else the money will be credited to the Government
treasury as per law here.

It is my utmost desire to execute the Will of our late client in your favour
and therefore, you are required to contact me immediately to start the
process of sending this money to any or your designated official account.I
urge you to contact me immediately for further details bearing in mind that
the bank has given us a date limit.

Please act fast and contact me via my private email address,
(barr_umeh@ski.de).

Regards,

Fred Umeh (ESQ).


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