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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: "petermasawa1" <petermasawa1@terra.com.mx>
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 16:01:00 -0600
Subject: Dear, SIR/MADAM.


:

Dear, SIR/MADAM,
I am Mr Peter Massawa,the Head of Consumer Banking
of Standard Chartered Bank Plc , Victoria Island, Lagos I
have urgent and very confidential business proposition for
you. On June 6, 1999, Mr Jim Thomas Sadawi who might be a
nationale of your country was a Consultant/Contractor with
the National Oil Nigeria LTD, made a numbered time(Fixed)
Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued
atUS$15,611,000.00 (Fifteen Million six hundred and eleven
thousand USDollars only) in my 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, the National Oil LTD that he died from
an automobile crash.On further investigation, I found out
that he died without making any "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 kin or relations in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$15,611,000.00 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 has ever come forward toclaim it.
According to Nigerian Law, at the expiration of 5
(five)years, the money will revert to the ownership of the
Nigerian Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you to act as
the next of kin to him so that the fruits of this old man's
labour will not get into the hands of government treasury.
To advance the course of this proposal, I will like you to provide
immediately your full names and
address so that the attorney will used them to prepare the necessary
documents and affidavits
which will put you in place as the next of kin.
We shall employ the service of an Attorney for drafting and
notarization of the "WILL" and to obtain the necessary
documents and letter of probate/administration in
your favour for the transfer. A Bank Account in any part of
the world which you will provide will then facilitate the
transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of
kin. The money will be paid into your Account for us to
share in the ratio that will be agreed upon by two of us.
All as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done
by the Attorney and my position as the Branch Manager
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If
you are interested in this proposal, I shall then provide
you with more details and relevant information that will
help you understand the transaction. Please observe
utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because
I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your
country.
Please do not reply to this mail box, contact me with this email
address:
petermasawa1@yahoo.com
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thank you.
Mr Peter Massawa

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