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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: sheffman desmond <sheffman_d@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: sheffman_x@yahoo.es
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:13:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: REF TO MR OLAF.


Sheffman Desmond
Wetton and Associates
Bromley Rd
London
BW1 3AN
Dear Friend,

I am Sheffman Desmond, Attorney to Mr. Olaf Partetzke, a German Contractor with the British Pertroleum Corporation, United Kingdom. I have an important business proposition for you.
My Client, Mr. Olaf Partetzke died in the London blast of July 7th, 2005 and He made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at GBP£12.5m in Barclays Bank, Camden Town, London Branch which expired October 30th 2005. Upon maturity,I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month precisely November 2005, I sent another reminder and still had no response. From file, he died without making a will and all attempts to trace his next of kin has been fruitless.
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Olaf Partetzke did not declare any next of kin or relations in any of his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my possession. This sum of GBP£12.5m is currently unclaimed. From experience no one will ever come forward to claim it and according to inheritance Laws of the United Kingdom, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Local Government Authorities here in London, United Kingdom, if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Olaf Partetzke so that the funds can be claimed. How is it possible? It is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names, telephone numbers and a brief description about yourself. We can then arrange for the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin. I shall draft and notarize a will in your favour and also secure all the necessary documents for the transaction.

An order can then be sent to the Bank to pay the money into any specified account of our choice and we share in the ratio 30:60 and 10% for expenses that we would jointly incur towards the completion of the business. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by myself. If you are interested, please reply immediately to my private email box : sheffman_x@yahoo.es

Upon your response, I shall give you a number to call me for further discussions. You should please observe utmost confidentiality of the transaction.
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards.
Sheffman Desmond


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