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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: nancy brooks <nancybrooks82@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <donald4brown@excite.com>
Date: Thu, 24 May 2007 18:46:04 +0100
Subject: FROM MRS NANCY BROOKS(NATWEST BANK UK)



Dear Friend,In order to transfer out (USD 12.6 M) Twelve million Six Hundred thousand United States Dollars) from National Westminster Bank uk. I have the courage to ask you if you are capable,reliable and honest to assist us with this important business believing that you will never let me down either now or in future. I am Mrs. Nancy Brooks, the Chief Auditor of National Westminster Bank uk (NATWEST BANK). There is an account opened in this bank by Mr Andrea Smith and since then nobody has operated on this account again. After going through some old files in the records, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently,it would be forfeited for nothing.Andrea Smith a foreigner,and a miner at kruger gold co., a geologist by profession, lost his life in 2000, along with his wife, Maria and their children in a plane crash. The AF4590 crash include all 109 people on board and five who died on the ground when the plane crashed into the Hotelissimo. Refer to the website below for more details:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
He opened a non-residential U.S dollar bank account.Since then no other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me as well that this company does not know anything about this account and the amount involved is (USD 12.6M) Twelve Million, six Hundred thousand United States Dollars.I want to transfer US$12.6M,into a safe foreigners account abroad ,but I don't have any foreign partner. I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved to any other person other than the next of kin to Mr Smith B.Andreas.I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we do not know ourselves before now,We will then sign an agreement,but be sure that it is real and a genuine business transaction. I believe in God that you will never let me down in this proposed business. so please reply urgently so that I will inform you of the next step to take immediately.I want us to meet face to face or sign a binding agreement to bind us together so that you can receive this money into a any reliable account of your choice where the fund will be safe. And I will fly to your country for withdrawal,sharing and other investments oppourtunities as well. I am contacting you because of the need to involve a foreigner with foreign account and foreign beneficiary.I need your full co-operation to make this work, because the management is ready to approve this payment to any foreigner who has correct information of this account which I will provide for you later. Furthermore,with my position now in the office I can effect the transfer of this money to any foreigner's reliable account, which you can provide with assurrance that this money will be intact pending my physical arrival in your country for sharing. I will destroy all documents of transaction immediately you receive this money leaving no trace to any place.I will use my position and influence to effect legal approvals and onward transfer of this money to your account with appropriate clearance forms from the ministries and foreign exchange departments. At the conclusion of this business, you will be given 35%of the total amount,65% will be for us,Lastly,if you are interested in assisting us in this transaction,kindly respond to my principal Partner Mr.Donald at (donald4brown@excite.comI look forward to your earliest reply.Mrs.Nancy BrooksPLEASE DO NOT FAIL TO INCLUDE YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERWHILE REPLYING THIS LETTER FOR EASY COMMUNICATIONS
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