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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: "Victor Well" <v_well26@rediffmail.com>
Date: 18 Nov 2006 06:39:58 -0000
Subject: COMPLIMENT OF THE DAY


Good Day To You,
I am Dr.Victor Well a Manager with American Express Bank&nbsp; here in Buckingham Palace,United Kingdom ,I am also a former trustee to one of our Late customer ,an American Business Man (MR.ERIC FROSTELL).&nbsp;I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.I got your contact from the London Chapter of the British Business/Chamber of Commerce and Industry here in central London,United Kingdom.&nbsp;In January 2003, an American Business man(MR.ERIC FROSTELL) made a numbered-time (fixed) deposit for twelve calendar months valued at US$50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million&nbsp; US Dollars)in a Domiciliary Account in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification of Account Status to his forwarding address but got no reply.&nbsp;After two months, we sent a reminder of same letter and finally we discovered from his contact employees,Oil Alliance company,his Company \'s branch in London , that MR.ERIC FROSTELL&nbsp; died in a auto car crash along an express way here in London-United Kingdom whi
ch involves all his entire loving children with his wife on 14th July 2004, May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.&nbsp;After 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.ERIC FROSTELL did not declare any Next-of-Kin in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit Papers. This sum of US$50,000,000.00 is still floating in our Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one would come forward to claim it.&nbsp;According to the British&nbsp; Banking Law, at the expiration of 6 (six) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the British Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.&nbsp;Consequent upon the above, my proposal is that I would like you as aforeigner to stand in as the Next-of-kin to the Late MR.ERIC FROSTELL.I will quickly work out the full documentation and transfer the US$50M into your
nominated account anywhere.You would be fully rewarded when the money has been transferd to any of your nominated bank account of your choice.&nbsp;Send me your reply to this request by my email adress: Vic_well@walla.com
&nbsp;I shall give you more details promptly.
Best Regards,&nbsp;Dr.Victor Well ,Manager American Express Bank .Buckingham Palace,London,United - Kingdom.

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