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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: "richard bernard" <bernard@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: richard_bernard1966@mail2world.com
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2006 10:07:07 +0400
Subject: Greetings to You

Dear sir

This letter must come to you as a surprise, but I believe it is only a
day that people meet and become great friends and business partners. I am
Mr Richard Bernard , currently Head of Coporate affairs with a reputable
bank here in U. A. E. I write you this proposal in good faith, believing
that I can trust you with the information I am about to reveal to you.

I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On
November 6, 2000, an Iraqi Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the
CHEVRON PETROLEUM CORPORATION, MR. KHALIL AL NASSER made a (Fixed
deposit)
for 36 calendar months, valued at US$17,500,000.00 (Seventeen Million
Five hundred Thousand Dollars only) in my bank and I happen to be his
account officer before I was moved to my present position recently. Upon
maturity in 2003, as his account officer , it is my duty to notify him on the
maturity date so I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but the
letter was returned undelivered.

After sometime, I tried sending back the letter, but it was again
returned and finally I discovered from his contract employers, Chevron Petroleum
Corporation that Mr. Khalil Al Nasser died as a result of torture in
the hand of Saddam Hussein (former Iraqi President) during one of his trips
to his country Iraq, as he was accused of leaking information to the
Americans. On further investigation, I discovered that Mr. Al Nasser's family wife
and two sons died during the Gulf War in Iraq and was the reason why he did
not declare any next of kin or relation in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank and did not leave any WILL. This
sum of US$17,500,000.00 have been floating and placed under
dormant/unserviceable account by my bank management since no one have
heard from the owner since 2003. I wish to let you know that all the
investigation I have made so far, my bank management is not aware of it, I am the
only one that have the information.

With the recent change of government in my country and with their
efforts to support the United Nations in checkmating terrorism aid in the U. A. E.
By end of this year, the government will pass a new financial control law
which will give the government authority to interrogate account owners of
above $5,000,000.00 to explain the source of the funds, making sure it is not
for terrorism support. If I do not move this money out of the country
immediately, by end of the year the government will definitely confiscate
the money, because my bank cannot provide the account owner to explain
the source of the money.

I cannot directly transfer out this money without the help of a
foreigner and that is why I am contacting you for an assistance. As the Account
Officer to late Al Nasser, coupled with my present position and status
in the bank as Head of Retail Banking Groug , I have the power to
influence the release of the funds to any foreigner that comes up as the next of kin
to the account, with the correct information concerning the account, which
I shall give you. All documents to enable you claim this fund will be
carefully worked out and there is practically no risk involved, the
transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will
protect you from any breach of law, beside U. A. E is porous and
anything goes.

If you accept to work with me, I want you to state how you wish us to
share the funds in percentage, so that both parties will be satisfied. If you
are interested, contact me as soon as you receive this message so we can go
over the details. Thanking you in advance and may God bless you. Please,
treat with utmost confidentiality. I shall send you copy of the deposit
certificate issued to Al Nasser when the deposit was made for your
perusal. I wait your urgent response.

Regards,

Mr Richard Bernard








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