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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: "wilson liau" <wilsonliau2005@she.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: wilsonliau_2005@she.com
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2006 15:08:49 +0700
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANT


Dear Sir,Madam
My name is Wilson Liau Director of Affairs in the South African Reserve Bank in
South Africa. I am
presently here in the Thailand on a course; I am contacting you regarding a
Business transfer of a
huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of
this magnitude will
make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all modalities
have being put in place
for a hitch free transaction.
PROPOSITION:
One of my colleagues is the account officer to the deceased named Gerald Welsh
who died in an air
crash along with his family in an Egyptian airline 990 with other passengers on
board. (
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/world/americas/502503.stm> ) You can
confirm this from the bbc website.
Since his death, none of his next of kin is alive to lay claims for this money
as his heirs because they all
died in the same crash.
We cannot release the funds from his account unless someone applies for the
claim next of kin to the
deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines. Upon this discovery, my
colleagues and I seek your
permission, to have you stand as the next of kin to the deceased, as all
documentation have been
carefully worked out by us for the funds US$ 18,500,000.00 million (Eighteen
million five Hundred
thousand United States of American Dollars) to be released/transferred in your
name as the beneficiary
/next of kin.
After five years, the money will be called back to the banks treasury as
unclaimed bills and the fund
shared amongst the directors of the bank. So, it is on this note that my
colleagues and I decided to seek
for your assistance to stand as the beneficiary rather than allowing the bank
directors to share the money
among them at the end of this fiscal year. It may also interest you to know that
we have secured from the
probate and order of Mandamus to locate any of the deceased family/beneficiary.
Please acknowledge
your willingness to assist by furnishing me with the following:
1. Your full names and company name, in other to process the documents on your
name.
2. Your bank details.
3. Personal telephone and fax number
At the end of the transaction you will be compensated with 25% of the total
sum for your assistance,
While the balance will be for my colleagues and I for investment purpose in your
country because we
intend to invest our share of the money in your country for a minimum of two
years under your
supervision. If this proposal is acceptable to you, please endeavour to contact
me immediately via my
email:wilsonliau124@hotmail.com
Please note that this transaction should be kept confidential between both
parties. I am looking forward
to your prompt response. God bless you.
Regards,
Wilson Liau.


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