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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: Lewis Kelly <lewiskelly@fsmail.net>
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 15:24:02 +0100
Subject: hello


MR.LEWIS KELLY
BIRMINGHAM,UNITED KINGDOM.
EMAIL:lewiskelly1@iol.pt

Dear Partner,

PRIVATE AND URGENT.
I am Mr Lewis Kelly, and I am contacting you on
business transfer of a huge sum of money from a
deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude
will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that
all will be well at the end of the day. I decided to contact you due to the
urgency of this transaction.
PROPOSITION;
I am the account officer to Mr Abdullah Saleh (deceased) one of our
foreign customers. While he banked with us, I oversaw his accounts and
other official/financial obligations as my office demanded being his
accounts officer.Unfortunately, he died along with his entire family in
the plane crash of 31 October, 1999 on board the Egyptian Airline 990
alonside other passengers.
Please consult the British Broadcasting Corporation website below for
verification.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm
While he was alive, none of his family members was ever known to me
other than his immediate nuclear family.Since his death, none of his
next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money
as the heir.
I cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for
claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking
guidelines.
Having made a very frnatic and exhaustive search for any family member
that would lay claim to this fund, I decided to take my chance with
you.I now seek your permission to have you stand as next of kin to the
deceased as I have all documentations including his certified Death
Certificate that will facilitate your stand as next of kin to him as he had a
closing balanced of 5,500,000.00 Five million five hundred thousand British
pounds sterling) here in our bank in London. I also have secured from
the probate an order of mandamus to locate any member of deceased
family to become beneficiary of this fund.
Please acknowledge receipt of this message in
acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by
furnishing me with the following;
1. Full name and address
2. Direct Telephone and fax numbers
These requirements will enable me make some internal re-adjustments and
file your name in form A2ag and other vital forms as next of kin which
before now was left blank by the deceased upon opening of the account
six years ago. Upon your reply, I will advice the way forward. I must
assure you that if you are serious and
follow my lead religiously, then this funds will be released to you
within a seven-working-day period.
If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of
the trust I have bestowed in you, I await your urgent mail.
Please reply
Regards,
MR.LEWIS KELLY

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