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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: "PETER SMITH" <petervansmith1@walla.com>
Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2007 17:19:05 +0000
Subject: subject matter

Dear Friend,

I am Peter Van Smith, I was the personal attorney to Eng. John McPherson, a
national of your country who used to work with an oil servicing company here
in Amsterdam-Netherlands after which be referred to as my client.

Eng. John McPherson 56 years of age made a fixed deposit of fund Valued at
USD$18,500,000 (Eighteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States
Dollars Only) with a Security Company/Finance Firm here in Europe and
unfortunately lost his life in an Egyptian charter plane Boeing 737 which
crashed into the Red Sea early on January 3, 2004 shortly after taking off
from the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all the 135 passengers and 13
crew members aboard, (View: http://english.people.com.cn/200401/04/eng200401
04_131791.shtml) He left no clear beneficiary as Next of Kin except some
vital documents related to the deposit still in my possession.

Recently, the governing body of the Security Company/Finance Firm Contacted
me on this matter, requesting that I should notify the next of kin of my
late client to claim the funds and I am yet to provide the Next of Kin to
make claims to the Fund. I know that my client had no living next of kin but
I went ahead and made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my
late clients extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful.

Under a clear and legitimate agreement with you, I seek your consent to
present you as the next of kin so that my late client's fund will not be
confiscated by the Security Company. You and I can share the money, you will
be entitled to 50% of the total fund for your role as the relative and next
of kin of my late client, 40% for me while 10% is to be marked out for any
expenses that will be incurred during the clearance or process of transfer
of the fund to your bank account.

Be informed that there is no risk involved as all necessary legal Document
which will be used to back you up as the legal beneficiary and next of kin
of my late client will be procured. All I require is your sincerity,
honesty, co-operation and utmost good faith 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. Kindly, get in touch with me by
my e-mail (petervansmith@aim.com)discuss further. You may also send your
telephone number so that I can call you. Do not forget that a transaction of
this magnitude require utmost confidentiality and sincerity.

I look forward to your urgent response.

PETER VAN SMITH
EMAIL: petervansmith@aim.com


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