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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "Alex Bowen" <alexbowen1123@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: alexbowen@myway.com
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 10:18:43 +0000
Subject: REQUEST FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP

Barrister Alex Bowen
99 Bishops Gate, 10th Floor
London EC2R 7DH
England
Tel: +44 7031905199
Fax: +44 8701316485
Email: alexbowen3@myway.com

Dear Partner,

REQUEST FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP

This mail will definitely be coming to you as a surprise, but I must crave
your indulgence to introduce myself to you, am Barrister Alex Bowen, Legal
Practitioner, based in London.

However I got your contact through the International web directory. During a
recent investigation, reconciliation and auditing of Barclays Bank Plc's
account, they discovered a dormant account with a huge amount of Money
Valued US$50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million US Dollars Only) that belongs to one
of my late Clients, Mr. Norman R. Vinsen, from Beverwijk, Netherlands, who
died with his family in a plane crash 14 years ago. So the fund has been
dormant in his account with The Barclays Bank Plc Head Office in London
without any claim of the fund, from his family or relation before now. Their
discovery to this development warranted them to contact my chamber as
Attorneys to the their late customer. The Banking law here stipulates that
if such money remains unclaimed all these years, it will be forfeited to the
Bank Treasury as an unclaimed bill. It is only a foreigner that can stand as
a next of kin and it is upon this discovery that I decided to contact you to
collaborate with you to pull out this dormant fund. In order to avert this
negative development, going through my archives, I now remembered and
brought out the last will of my late client where he was yet to fix in the
name of the next of kin to the account. I now seek your permission to fix in
your name in the WILL which I will redraft and have you stand in as next of
kin to Norman R. Vinsen, so that the fund will be released and paid into
your account as next of kin since the bank has requested me to present his
WILL for transfer of funds to his next of kin. I could have done this deal
alone but because of my position as his Attorney and due to the need to have
a confidential dealing with someone far away from United Kingdom as any
thing otherwise would eventual raise an eye brow on my side during the time
of transfer. I will also get a Letter of Administration/Affidavit in your
name for the legal transfer of the funds to you.

However, on smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to
40% of the total fund, while the remaining 60% will be for me. What I want
from you is for you to act as the deceased next of kin. Bear in mind that
this proposal is 100% risk free and transfer will be legally done. kindly
forward the following information in your reply mail:

1. Your full legal names, contact address, direct phone and fax numbers
2. Your occupation, date of birth, sex and marital status as well as copy of
your identification (International passport or driver's lisence copy).

Further information will be given to you as soon as I receive your positive
response. Please reply me to Email: alexbowen3@myway.com

Best Regards,
Barrister Alex Bowen
Email: alexbowen3@myway.com


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