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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: "joe brown" <joebrown117@msn.com>
Reply-To: joebrown7@inmail24.com
Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 11:17:46 +0000
Subject: Urgent reply

FROM:Mr.Joseph Brown
PRIVATE MAIL:joebrown@inmail24.com
ATTN:
I amMr.Joseph Brown, Personnel Manager of a Bank in West Africa.
I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. I
got
your contact from my private search for a reliable and trusted
foreign
partner.
On June 6 1997, an American oil consultant/contractor with the
Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Kenneth Fischer made a numbered
time (Fixed) deposited for twelve calendar months, valued at
US$25,000,000.00 (Twenty-five Million Dollars) in my 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 contract employers, Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation that Mr. Kenneth Fischer died from an automobile
accident. On further investigation, I found out that he did not leave
a WILL and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I
therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not
declare any next of kin in all his official documents, including his
Bank Deposit paperwork. This sum of US$25,000,000.00 is still sitting
in the Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal
sum at the end of each year. No one will come forward to claim it.
According to the Nigerian Law, at the expiration of 10{ten} years,the
money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government if
nobodyapplies to claim the funds. Consequently, my proposal is that I
will
like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Kenneth
Fischer so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into
the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple;

1) I will like you to provide me immediately with your full names and
address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents and
affidavits, which will put you in place as the next of kin.
2) We shall employ the services of two attorneys for drafting and
notarization of the WILL and obtain the necessary documents and
letter of probate/administration in your favor for the transfer.
3) A bank account in any part of the world, which you provide, will
then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the
beneficiary/next of kin of Mr.Kenneth Fischer. The money will be paid
into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40%
for you.
There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction
will
be done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are
interested, please reply immediately via the private email address
above. Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details
and relevant documents that will help you understand.
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.

Awaiting your urgent reply.

Thanks and regards,

Joseph Brown.


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