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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: "Becky Owen" <becky_owen34z@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: firm6@myway.com
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 15:03:34 +0200
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST:

From: Frank Brian Esq. (For Trustees)
Managing Partner(Brian Chambers)
Pretoria, South Africa

NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST:
On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Mr. Edwin
Gabriel, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was
returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same
email address on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late Mr. Edwin
Gabriel made you a beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Ten
Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD$10,500.000.00 ) to you in the
codicil and last testament to his will.
This may sound strange and unbelievable to you, but it is real and
true. Being a widely travelled man, he must have been in contact with you
in the past or simply you were nominated to him by one of his numerous
friends abroad who wished you good. Mr. Edwin Gabriel until his death was
a member of the Helicopter Society and the Institute of Electronic &
Electrical Engineers. He was a very dedicated Man who loved to give
out. His great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life
time. Late Mr. Edwin Gabriel died on the 16th day of February 2004 at the
age of 90 years and his WILL is now ready for execution. According to him
this money is to support his Goodwill activities (may his soul rest with
the Lord) and to help the poor and needy.
Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as
soon as possible to enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear from you in
no distant date.
Yours in His service,
Frank Brian Esq.

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