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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: "Micheal Miller Esq" <millermesq022@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: michaelmiller111@lycos.com
Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 08:30:56 +0000
Subject: Dear Weston,Do you know John Weston?

BARISTER MICHEAL MILLER  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER MICHEAL MILLER  CHAMBERS
12 Norman Williams street,South West,Lagos
Nigeria.
Telphone+234-802-755-8892.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Dear Weston,

  I am barrister Micheal Miller a sollicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to Mr. John Weston, a foreign expertriatel, who used to work with shell Development Company in Nigeria. Herein he is been referred to as my client. It was sad to note that my client,his wife and two (2) children visited the WORLD TRADE CENTRE (WTC)NEW YORK on the 11th sept.,2001 for shopping when the terrorist OSAMA BIN LADDEN strucked the TOWER: this is a view recap of the attack: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11,_2001_attacks
It was later revealled to me that unfortunately my client, his wife and two children all lost their lives during that period and there was no trace of the entire family till date.

Since then, I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, but all these efforts were unsuccessful.

However; After all these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you.
 
I have contacted you to assist me in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client, before they will get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank, where these huge deposits were lodged. 
The said bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin of the deceased or they will have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 3 years now, I honourably seek your conscent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account valued at $13.2million dollars can be paid to you and then you and me can benefit from the money as we shall share the money in  50% for me and 50% to you,
I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make and to accelerate the transfer of the fund to your account.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through.
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law and hence confidential, hence I am the lawyer to the said deceased, i have the utmost power to present who so ever as the next of kin and the presented person will be authomatic, no matter the country.
 
Please for further proceses of the above matter, i will like you with due respect to send to me your contact and other information listed below, for a swift follow-up.

Send to me as stated below:
1) your full name
2) your contact address
3) your private cell / phone
 
Please reply me as soon as you finish reading this mail for further processing.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you and God bless your family.

All the best,
Micheal Miller Esq.
Cell phone number+234-802-755-8892.
FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER MICHEAL MILLER  CHAMBERS.


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