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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: "mr odogu1" <mrodogu1@blackglobalnetwork.net>
Reply-To: mrjohn_01@excite.com
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 05:41:06 -0500
Subject: From: Barrister John Williams (Esq).

From: Barrister John Williams (Esq).
Jauche & Associates
Solicitors, Corporate & Property Consultants
Lagos - Nigeria.
Dear Friend,
I hope this meets you in good health. My name is Barrister John Williams Esq. a Legal Practitioner and Attorney to late Mr. Ziya Bazhayev,who died in the plane crash of Yak-40 jetliner on March 9, 2000. You may follow the Link below to read about the Plane Crash my client lost his life:
http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/031500/usn_LA0703.001.shtml&
http://news.1chinastar.com/ll/english/61934.shtml
My late client was an influential Wealthy Businessman,a Russian Contractor in my Country and a Russian big time Oil Dealer and the Principal owner of Oil Alliance Company and he left behind a deposit of Fifteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollar(US$15,500,000.00USD) in his Domiciliary Bank Account in a commercial bank here in Country. I have employed every method to locate any of my clients extended relatives but this exercise has proved unsuccessful, due to my inability to locate any of his relative, I now have a view of investing this fund with you, which is my main reason of contacting you.
After the death of my client his Banker contacted me,as his Attorney to provide his next of kin who should inherit his fortune. The board of Directors of his bank adopted a resolution and I was mandated to provide his next of kin for the payment of this money or forfeit the money to the bank as an abandoned Estate. The bank had planned to invoke a clause in the property Act, to confiscate the funds after the expiration of a period given to me.
In spite of this and at the point of desperation, I came across your contact, while trying to locate documentation's regarding possible relatives of my client in his Country of Origin. I am believed to be convinced that you may be able to act in locus for my late client as his next of kin, I therefore, decided to contact you with these facts before me, because of the status quo. By virtue of my brief and my closeness to the deceased, I am very much aware of my client's financial standing and the bank account he operated here in my country.
I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to present you as the next of kin of my deceased client and the sole beneficiary of his estate, so that you are be paid the funds left in his bank account, hence I contacted you by seeking your consent to present you as the Next of Kin. The bank needs only the facts as to be presented legally. The rest is between you and I and with my guidiance, we can have the money paid into your account, once this is done we shall both share the funds. 50% to me and 40% to you, while 10% would be for all Expenses and Taxes, as the Law and Government may require, I shall assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up your claim.
All I require is your honesty and co-operation to enable us succeed in this deal, I guarantee that this deal will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any Breach of law. Please get in touch with me upon the receipt of this proposal.
Best Regards,

Barrister John Williams (Esq).

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