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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: "fred brown" <luciegilbert@lottpromo.org>
Reply-To: barristerfredbrown@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 22:29:24 +0000
Subject: DEAR TRUSTEE

Legal Practictioner,
Justice Barrister Fred Brown {Esq} (Barrister Fred Brown & Associates),
Head Office: 128 Broad street,
Lagos Nigeria.
OUR CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS MATTER.

Dear ,

I am Barrister Fred Brown, I am the Personal Attorney to Engr.Michael Llyod national of your country, who used to work with Chevron Company in Nigeria.On the 25th of july 2000, my client, his wife and their threechildren were involved in a Air France concord plane crash bound for New York with his family.You can read more on the link below:...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm. Unfortunately they all Lost their lives in the event of the crash, since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to Locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his Relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of His family but of no avail, hence I contacted you.I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money in addition, property left behind by my client before they get Confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank Where this huge deposits were lodged.Particularly, the Bank where the deceased Had an account valued at about US$10 Million Dollars. Consequently, the Bank issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the Account the next ten official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the the relatives For over 5 years now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you areFrom the same country, So that the proceeds of this Account valued atUS$10 Million dollars can be paid to you and then you and I Can share the money.60% to me and 30% to you, while 10% should be for expenses or taxes your Government may require. I have all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.All I require from you is your Telephone and Fax Number; these will be used to obtain an Application of Claim from the Bank. Your honest cooperation will be needed to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Please your urgent respond is needed to this matter, as I will advice you contact me  to discuss further.

Best Regards,
Barrister Fred Brown. (Esq)
NEXT OF KIN TO THE LATE ENGR. MICHAEL LLYOD

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