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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 about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Freeborn=20Martins?= <freeborn_martins001@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: freeborn_martins01@yahoo.de
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 14:44:18 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Compliments my good friend


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: freeborn_martins001@yahoo.co.uk

Dear Friend,


Mutual Business Relationship.


I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance department of Bank of Africa.I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you, On June 6 1999 a major contractor with ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)made a numbered time(Fixed)Deposit for twelve calendar months. Valued at USD$6.8m dollar(Six million, Eight hundred thousand US Dollars)


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, ECOWAS Cotonou Benin, that he died in the October,1999 plane crash with Egyptian air line. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making his "WILL", and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that he did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of sum of US $6.8m dollar(Six million, Eight hundred thousand Dollars) is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Benin banking Law, at the expiration of 7(seven)years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Benin Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.


Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to act as next of kin to him so that the fruits of this old man’s labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials here in Benin. We will share the money in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you and my plan is to invest my own share of the money in your country.

Therefore, be kind to clarify the following for my consideration:


1. What other lucrative investments would you suggest as I intend banking, real estate and hotels if they are good business venture in your Country?.


2. Can you be able to make residential documents and purchase a house for me and my family to relocate and settle in your country?.


I decided to give you this percentage in order to motivate you and also to let you feel satisfied at the end of this transaction.


I look forward to your earliest reply. kindly reply to my private E-mai:


Yours Truly,

Mr Freeborn Martins





- Freeborn Martins


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