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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: "GARRY OWEN" <garryowen09@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:08:11 +0000
Subject: Seasons Greetings

Dear Friend,

I am Mr Garry Owen Director of Credit Control of my bank here in the UK. I
have a very profitable
business proposition and will respectfully request that you keep the
contents of this email confidential and respect the integrity of the
information you may come by as a result of our interaction.

In early 2002, a certain late client whose name I am not disclosing now for
purpose of confidentiality, opened a numbered time Fixed Deposit account for
twelve calendar months valued at US$7.5M (Seven Million, Five Hundred United
States Dollars Only) in my branch.

Upon maturity of the investment, I sent a routine notification in accordance
with the Bank policy to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a
month we sent a reminder but got no response still. This prompted our bank
to commence private investigations to locate his whereabouts. After months
of investigation, it was discovered that he died of an auto accident in a
remote village in Panama. All attempts to trace any relatives who could be
his next of kin were fruitless and he died without making a Will.

Being his account officer when he started banking with us, I made further
in-house investigations and discovered that the late client did not declare
any next of kin or relatives in all his official documents in my Bank.

Having studied the situation carefully, I have decided to make the best from
this situation. I intend to claim the funds but this must be through a proxy
as I cannot do it alone. I need the cooperation of any one who could prove
to be reliable and honest. If you indicate your positive interest, I am
ready to present you as the only relative of the late client and intimate
you with all the steps to follow in claiming the funds. I propose that we
share it equally, that is, 50-50 when you have collected it.

I will be more disposed to give you further details and outline the
modalities for carrying out the
transaction when I get your positive response to this email.

Note: Like i said if you indicate your positive interest, i will like you to
copy your reply to my private email address (garrowen09@yahoo.com)

Regards,

Mr. Garry Owen.



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