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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 James Ubanah <ubanah123james@katamail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 05:33:44 -0700
Subject: From: Mr James Ubanah (Unclaimed Fund)


From: Mr James Ubanah

Dear Sir,

I am sending you this private email to make a passionate appeal to you for assistance.
Kindly accept my apology for contacting you this way and forgive me if this is not
acceptable to you. My name is James Ubanah; I am an auditor at one of the Nigerian
Banks.

On Tuesday, 19 January, 1999, one Dr. Paul Brown a foreigner, made a numbered time
(Fixed) Deposit, valued at £10,550,000.00 (Ten Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds) for twelve calendar months in my Bank 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 company that Dr. Paul Brown was aboard the Egypt Air Flight 990, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on October 31, 1999. After further investigation, it was discovered that he died without making a WILL and all attempts to trace his next of kin proved abortive. On further investigation, it was discovered that Late Dr. Paul Brown did not declare any next of kin or relatives in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paper work here in our Bank. The total sum, £10,550, 000.00 is still in my bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it.

In accordance with my country's banking laws and constitution, at the expiration of 6 (six) years, the money will revert to the Government treasury if nobody applies as the next of Kin to claim the funds. Consequently, I shall present you as a foreign partner to stand in as the next of kin to the late Dr. Paul Brown. Upon acceptance of this proposal, I shall send to you the National Bank Plc "Next of Kin Payment Application Form" as well as detailed information on how this transaction would be carried out. We shall employ the services of a solicitor for the drafting of the LAST WILL & TESTAMENT of Late Dr. Paul Brown and to obtain all other relevant papers in your name for the necessary documentation for payment approval in my bank headquarters in your favour. The money will be shared in the ratio: Sixty percent for me and my colleagues, thirty percent for you and 10% would be set aside to offset all expenses in course of the transfer.

I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect
you from any breach of the law as I and my colleagues will use my position to guarantee the successful execution of this transaction. Please be informed that your utmost confidentiality is required. Should this proposal meet your interests respond back via my private email address. <modgroupjames@caramail.com>

Awaiting your response.

Respectfully yours,
Mr James Ubanah

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