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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: jim.williams06@zipmail.com.br
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:47:56 -0700
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?GOOD=20DAY?=

Mr. Jim Williams
First Atlantic Bank Ltd
Lagos, Nigeria.

Good day,

I am so sorry to bulge on you like this without knowing you prior to this
day but I employ you to please read this mail because it has immense financial
benefits for the both of us.

I am Mr. Jim Williams, Bank Manager of First Atlantic Bank Ltd,Lagos Branch.

I got your contact on my private search on theInternet and I listed your
name amongst four other names and prayed over them and decided to contact
you directly.

I have a very urgent and confidential business proposition for you and for
our overall mutual interest.

On December 6 1997,an American oil consultant/contractor with the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation Mr. Henry Gardner made a numbered time(fixed)deposit
for twelve calendar months, valued at USD$25,000,000.00(twenty five million
dollars) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarded address but
got no reply. After a month we sent a reminder and finally we discovered
from his contract employers NNPC, that Mr. Henry died in an automobile accident.

On further investigation, I found out that he did not leave a WILL and all
attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr.Henry did
not declare any next of kin in all his official documents, including his
bank deposit paperwork.

This sum USD$25,000,000.00 is still floating in the bank and the interest
is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No
one will come forward to claim it.

According to Nigerian Laws, at the expiration of 9 (Nine) years, the money
will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian government if nobody applies
to claim the funds. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as
a foreigner to stand in as a next of kin of Mr.Henry Gardner.

This is simple

1) I will like you to provide me immediately with your full names & address
so that an attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits,which
will put you as next of kin.

2) We shall employ the services of an attorney for drafting & notarization
of the WILL and obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration
in your favor for the transfer.

3) A bank account in any part of the world, which you will provide to facilitate
the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary.

The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of
60% for me and 40% for you, which we will both sign and agree to, by a Memorandum
of Understanding (M.O.U) before we proceed with the transfer of the money
to you. There is no risk at all as the attorney will do the paperwork for
this transaction and with my position as the branch manager guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction.

Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant
documents that will help you understand. PLEASE OBSERVE UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY,and
be rest assured that this would be most profitable for both of us because
I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Awaiting your urgent reply via this email below, please save me the anxiety
of endless waiting.

Please reply to : jimwilliams_02@myway.com

God bless you.

Mr. Jim Williams
First Atlantic Bank Ltd.
Lagos, Nigeria




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