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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: "Mr Andy Morris." <my@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mycomesoontjm@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:44:46 +0200
Subject: Hello.

Dear Sir, Having obtained your contact from the international trade database and export board and coupled with my deep interest to invest in international export to Europe from your country, I am Mr. Andy Morris, Branch Manager, Westpac Banking Corporation London. On January 6th 1999, one Mr. Mohamed Kamal Yasser, an Egyptian national, a consultant/contractor with Gardiner & Theobald, a leading firm of project and cost management consultants, made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit, valued at £7,500,000.00(Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds) for twelve calendar months in my Bank Branch. Upon Maturity, we 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 (Gardiner & Theobald) that Mr. Mohamed Kamal Yasser died in air disaster in October 1st, 1999. On further investigation, it was dis!
covered that he died without making a WILL (interstate) and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. Please go through this website to confirm this story about the plane crash. <http://www.greatdreams.com/PassEAir990.htm> On further investigations, it was discovered that Late Mr. Mohamed Kamal Yasser did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paper work here at the Bank. The total sum, £7,500,000.00 is still 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. In accordance with the English Banking, insurance and financial institution Laws, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Government if nobody applies as the next of Kin to claim the funds. Consequently, I shall present you as a foreign partner to stand in as!
the next of kin to late Mr. Mohamed Kamal Yasser so that you and I
can benefit from the fruits of this old man to enhance humanitarian Organisation Worldwide as well. Upon acceptance of this proposal, I shall send to you either by fax or email a scanned copy of the Westpac Banking Corporation "Next of Kin Payment Application Form" as well as detailed information on how this deal would be transacted. We shall employ the services of a solicitor for the drafting of the LAST WILL & TESTAMENT or affidavit for administration of estate of Late Mr. Mohamed Kamal Yasser and to obtain all other relevant papers in your name for the necessary documentation for payment approval in my bank headquarters in your favour. The money will be shared in the ratio: Seventy five percent for me, twenty percent for you and five percent for any arising contingencies during the course of this transaction. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law, as I will use my position!
as the Bank's Branch Manager to secure approvals and guarantee the successful execution of this transaction. It will take only 7-10 working days to conclude this transaction. Please be informed that your utmost confidentiality is required. If this interests you, please reply me immediately via the private fax or email address below or you call me and please include your private phone number for voice contact and fax number so that I can provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction better. Awaiting your urgent reply. Thanks. Best regards, Andy Morris


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