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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Wale Aliu" <walealiu2030@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: walealiu@sify.com
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:26:30 +0000
Subject: Your Response is Highly Needed ASAP.

Wale Aliu Chambers
{Solicitor & Advocate}
511th Rd, A Close Block '1'Flat 15
Pako Town, Lagos Nigeria.
Reply To Email:
walealiu4@sify.com

My dear,

I am Barrister Wale Aliu, a personal attorney to Mr. Frank Torres from your country who used to work with shell petrol chemical and Development Company in Nigeria, Herein after shall be referred to as my client an expatriate who board a plane from the city of kano to the city Lagos in Nigeria, and unfortunately died with his entire family on Saturday, 4th May, 2002, in plane crash. Since then I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts,I decided to track his name over the Internet,to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged, particularly the Intercontinental bank of Nigeria where the deceased had an account valued at about US$25.5million dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated after four years if not claimed and We have just one year left.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 3 years now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$25.5 million dollars can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money. Even as I have all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. Can be claimed by you and me. We can share the money. 60% to me and 40% to you I have all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. And this I must do to make sure that this fund is not wasted or end up in the wrong hands.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I would like you to contact me immediately via (walealiu4@sify.com) for more directives. Remember to include your private telephone, fax and mobile numbers for easy communication when replying. Have a look at the BBC website: http://news.bbc.co.uk./1/hi/world/africa/1968616.stm

Yours faithfully,
Barrister Wale Aliu.

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