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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: "Smith Bruce" <bruce_smith2002@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: brucesmith@zonai.com
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2005 14:37:47 +0000
Subject: LETTER OF INTENT!

>From the office of: Mr. Bruce Smith
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND.
United Kingdom.
Telephone+44-70-40112671.
LETTER OF INTENT!

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Bruce Smith. I am 50 years Of Age, a native of London .I got your
information while browsing through internet in search of a reliable person
who will assist me. On 21st of July 1990, an Oil consultant/contractor, Mr.
Kurt Kahle with ROYAL DUTCH PETROLEUM COMPANY, he made a numbered time
(fixed) deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at
US$20,700,000.00(Twenty Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars) with ROYAL
BANK OF SCOTLAND branch upon maturity. I sent a routine notification to his
forwarding address but got no reply.

After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his Private
Business School. employers, that On the 31st of July 2000, our client, with
his 37-year-old wife and his son Michael, aged eight. died in the Air
France concord plane crash bound for New York in their plan for a world
cruise, with other passengers abroad as you can confirm it yourself via the
website below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

on further investigation, I found out that he died without making a will,
and attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made
further investigation and discovered that Mr. Kurt Kahle did not declare
any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his
bank deposit paperwork in ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND. This sum of
US$20,700,000.00 is still in ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND and the interest is
being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one
will ever come forward to claim it.

According to the law of the country, at the expiration of (five) years, the
money will revert to the ownership of the Scotland Government if nobody
applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you
as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Kurt Kahle so that the
fruit of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt
Government officials. This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately
your full name and address so that the Attorney will prepare the necessary
documents and affidavits, which will put you in place as the next of kin to
Mr. Kurt Kahle.

We shall employ the service of attorney for the drafting and notarization of
the WILL and obtain the necessary documents and letter of
probate/administration in your favour for the transfer. Any bank account in
any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate the
transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will
be paid into your account for us to share in ratio of 60% for me and 40% for
you. There is no risk at all; he attorney and my position will do the
paperwork for this transaction as the Branch Manager guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please
reply immediately via the private email address below, upon your response
shall provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help
you understand the transaction.

Please observe utmost confidentiality and be rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because i shall require
your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Please upon the receipt of this mail message, send to me the following
information to my private email address: brucesmit@excite.com , to enable
start the processing of documention in your favour as the next of kin to Mr.
Kurt Kahle.

1. Your Full Name
2. Your Private Telephone And Fax Numbers.
3 Your Addresses.

Immediately I receive a mail indicating your interest I shall send you more
details.

Thanks and regards,

Mr. Bruce Smith.
brucesmit@excite.com


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