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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: "john wenger" <john_wenger05@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: johnwengerchambers@myway.com
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2006 19:28:09 -0900
Subject: IN THE MATTER OF MY CLIENT

JOHN WENGER LAW CHAMBERS,
SOLICITORS AND ADVOCATE,

53, NEW OXFORD STREET,

LONDON, WC1 1BL,

ENGLAND.


ATTN: Sir,


1. IN THE MATTER OF MY CLIENT
2. ASSISTANCE TO CLAIM FUNDS


The above matter refers,

It is with due respect that I enter into this correspondence with you. I am
John Wenger (Esq. Principal, JOHN WENGER LAW CHAMBERS, a private Law Firm
based here in London, England. I was the Private Attorney to Dr. Christopher
Williams, a Petro-Chemical Engineer and also an American expatriate that
worked with CHEVRON, an American oil company, who herein after shall be
referred to as my client.


In the month of December 1988, my client and other passengers on Pan Am
flight 103 died in an air explosion that killed 270 people over Lockerbie,
Scotland. Already, two Libyan terrorists have been indicted over the
bombing. Please see:


However, unknown to CHEVRON and my late clients’ family, I deposited with a
security firm here in London on behalf of my late client the sum of SIXTY
FIVE MILLION DOLLARS (USD 65 MN) of my clients company's funds that was put
under his care. Ironically, ever since the death of my client, none of my
clients’ employees or relatives has come forward to claim the funds.


The purpose of my contacting you via this medium is to solicit for your
assistance in claiming the funds from the security firm. Your ability to
claim to the funds has been made a lot easier by the security firm’s
promises to deliver my late client's funds within one week to any individual
legally presented by me as the next of kin to my late client.

Also, I am willing to hand over all the documents pertaining to this deposit
to any reliable, honest and trustworthy individual who can assist me take
delivery of the funds.
I promise you that every transaction relating to this deal will be done
under legitimate means that will not breach the enabling laws of your
country nor of England. Note that out of the deposited sum of SIXTY FIVE
MILLION DOLLARS (USD
65 MN) 60 % of the said amount has been set aside me, 30 % for you for all
your anticipated effort, and 10% for any eventual expenses that may need to
be met in the course of this transaction either on your part or mine.


Please note that utmost sincerity and confidentiality is required of us
throughout the course of this transaction so as to be able to conclude it
successfully and in good time. Thereafter, I hope to travel to your country
for my share of the funds, which I hope to invest in any lucrative business
venture in your country through your advice and assistance.

It is on the basis of the above that I seek your assistance. If you are
interested in this deal, contact me with your FULL NAMES, ADDRESS, TEL/FAX
NO which will be used for the preparation on your behalf documents that will
facilitate the delivery of the funds to you via e-mail at:
Thank you for your understanding and anticipated assistance.


Sincerely,
John Wenger (Esq.)


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