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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: RAYMOND MORGAN <ray_morgan@zwallet.com>
Reply-To: ray_mond@inbox.com
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:57:42 +0200
Subject: DO NOT MISS THIS AND BE HONEST


ABSA PRIVATE BANK
Absa Bank Limited/Beperk, Reg No 1986/004794/06 Trading/Handeldrywend as ABSA Private Bank
62 Empire Road Parktown 2193
P.0.Box 6005 Johannesburg 2000
I am Dr.R .D. Morgan, a Deputy Chief Executive of Amalgamated Bank of South Africa (ABSA PRIVATE BANK) ,this BANK is also a correspondant of London international branch,HSBC Bank,Plc.Level 26, 8 Canada Square LONDON. I am writing following an opportunity in my office that will be of immense benefit to both of us.
In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of 9.2 Million British Pounds Sterling (Nine Million Two Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Morris Thompson an American who unfortunately lost his life in the plane crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 which crashed on January 31 2000, including his wife and only daughter. You shall read more about the crash on visiting this site indicated below for more clarifications. http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/01/alaska.airlines.list/.
Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of
kin or relatives to come over and claim his money because we cannot release it unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as
indicated in our banking guidelines / regulations.
Unfortunately I learnt that his supposed next of kin being his only daughter died along with him in the plane crash leaving nobody with the knowledge of this fund behind for the claim. It is therefore upon this discovery that I and two other officials in this department now decided to make business with you and
release the money to you as the next of kin or beneficiary of the funds for safe keeping and investment. Since nobody is coming for these funds and we don't want this money to go back into Government treasury as unclaimed bill. The banking law and guidelines in South Africa stipulates that such money after six years and six months ( Seventy-Eight Banking Months ) will be transferred into banking treasury as unclaimed funds.
We agreed that 25% of this money will be for you if you assist us in claiming this fund, while the
balance will be for my colleagues and I. Note that this transaction is confidential and risk free. As soon as you receive this mail you should contact me through my e-mail address
( raymondmorgan@virgilio.it) for further details.
Please note that all necessary arrangement for the smooth release of these funds to you as has been finalised and this fund is not linked to scam and its alikes.
Upon the receipt of your response to assist I will be able to put you in a clearer picture of what next to do.Do bear in mind if this transaction does not interest, please discard this e-mail and do not use it against me as what I am doing will risk me of my job I have laboured for years if exposed.
I crave your indulgence to make this a top most secret .
Best Regards,
Dr R.D.Morgan

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