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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: "Frederick wiliams" <fred_williams@zoopedmail.com>
Reply-To: frederick_williams1957@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:47:26 +0200
Subject: I Need Your Assistance!!!

Hello Dear,

I am Barrister Frederick williams, an attorney to a deceased Immigrant,Names: cho minja. A national of korea. who was a businessman/contractor in my country,with the Crude Oil sector.
Here in after shall be referred to as my client, On the 6th of August 1997, he was among
those passengers aboard who died in a plane crash (Korean Air Flight 801). For your verification you can visit:
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/06/guam.passenger.list/.
Since then I have been managing his properties and contracts, which he implemented in the oil industries.

Now the money for the contract has been deposited. In the light of the above, you are to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by his bank. Especially now that the bank has issued me a notice
to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscate within a short time.
The deceased has an account Valued $9.4 million dollars (USD).

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek Your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account ( $9.4 million dollars) can be paid to you,after which you, his account officer and me
shall share the money on 70% to me and his account officer, while 25% for you and 5% for iscellaneous expenses that might arise. I have all necessary informations that can be used to back up this Claim. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal
through.

I guarantee that this transaction shall be executed under a legitimatearrangement that will protect both parties from any breach of the law.
Please, If you are interested and ready to assist in this project, I am certain it will take only a few working days to get things done and i will join you for further business. You can email as soon as possible.

Best Regards,
Frederick Williams(ESQ).

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