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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Ochoa Nicholas <Ochoa_Nicholas112@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: ochoa_nicholas@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:03:50 +0100
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED


Dear Friend,
This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have never =
met. The message could be strange but real if you pay some attention to it. I =
could have notified you about it at least for the sake of your integrity. =
Please accept my sincere apologies. In bringing this message of goodwill to =
you, I have to say that I have no intentions of causing you any pains.I =
managed to get your contact details through the Internet myself. Time is of =
importance I hope you understand.
My name is Mr. Ochoa Nicholas, I am the humble Manager of Barclays bank =
United kingdom during a recent call over our branch financial books by our =
Internal Auditors and myself, I discovered a Fixed Deposit account that has =
been dormant for over 4yrs. The tenured sum in the account is a total of Nine =
Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand United States Dollars =
($9,538,000, 00). The actual principal sum was Nine Million Five Hundred =
thousand Dollars ($9,500,000), while accrued interest over the years amount =
to Thirty Eight Thousand Dollars ($38,000.00).
The above mentioned Time Deposit Account belongs to one Mr. Neal Walker, a =
customer now deceased. We discovered that a plane crash occurred way back On =
October 31, 1999. Involving an Egyptian Boeing 767 Flight 990 in the United =
States. His family including Wife and Daughter were unfortunately on board =
the aircraft too.
Under normal banking regulations obtainable throughout the world, a customer =
at the initial stage of completing account opening documentation is required =
to provide the name(s) of his /her next of kin. This is the norm, because of =
unforeseen events such as permanent physical disability, or even death. In =
this case, the late Mr. Neal Walker's next of kin was first, his daughter, =
and then his wife.
In his Fixed Deposit Account data, I noticed again, that he prefers online =
banking correspondence, rather than being physically present in the branch. =
Under normal circumstance, customers send in their instruction on or before =
the maturity period of investments of this nature, but in cases whereby there =
is a delay in receiving such instructions, the bank uses its discretion to =
roll over such investment pending the receipt of an instruction stating =
otherwise from the customer.
In this case therefore, when Mr. Neal's "rollover or liquidate my investment =
instruction" was not received by officials in our operations department, the =
investment was continuously rolled over up to the time I noticed its =
peculiarity. There is a law in the United kingdom that stipulates remitting =
any amount that stands as unclaimed after eight years from the date of demise =
of a customer, in cases where provision has not been made for a next of kin =
by the account holder. Such funds are termed as unclaimed funds by the bank =
to the British treasury account. In this case, it is not that there isn't any =
next
kin, but because they are both deceased. The British you must understand has =
a peculiar financial system, whereby there is freedom in the transfer of =
funds, tax exemption, and a very liberal system at the way funds are brought =
into and moved out of the country without attracting undue attention from =
Government regulatory agencies. These it is believed can go a long way at =
attracting foreign capital into the country.
I have taken my time to explain to you the intricacies associated with this =
transaction, so that you may be able to compare notes with what you might =
have previously received from impersonators. And above all, to give you the =
needed feeling of mutual confidence needed for us to conclude this =
transaction, that I believe will help both of us achieve financial buoyancy =
in a very short while. This is what I am proposing:
(1)
In order for the bank not to transfer the said sum of Nine Million, Five =
Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand Dollars ($9,538,000.00) as unclaimed funds =
to the British treasury account, the above stated funds most be claimed =
immediately by somebody standing in as late Mr. Neal Walker's partner.
(2)
The stated sum can only be transferred to a designated account that will be =
provided by Mr. walker's partner. Full name, address and other details must =
also be furnished to the bank for ease in processing necessary documents. =
This details you will provide for me to commence anchor the transaction.
(3)
The Bank's Attorney/Legal Secretary shall prepare all necessary documents =
relating to the transfer of ownership. A sworn affidavit empowering you as =
the next of kin to the deceased and a probate administration document shall =
be served the bank after being duely notarized. This will serve as a legal =
document backing this claim.
(4)
You will be required to provide an account and its details to our bank for =
the said funds to be transferred, as you shall then be regarded as the next =
of kin to the deceased. This information I will need you to urgently provide. =

(5)
Note: that the operations staff charged with affecting the transfer are all =
my subordinates in the branch, while the responsibility of authorizing =
transactions of this nature falls on my shoulder as the branch manager.
I am a meticulous, fair and rational individual when it comes to the area of =
sharing proceeds. Therefore I am willing to offer you 40% of the total sum to =
be transferred. The remaining 60% shall be utilized in-house. I believe this =
is equitable enough.
Finally, I can assure you that the above proposed transaction is fool proof, =
considering the fact that I am the branch manager who shall authorize the =
transfer, and again, since we shall ensure that we fulfill all the bank's =
requirements relating to transactions of this manner.
Therefore I can guarantee you that you shall not be liable to exposure in =
anyway imaginable and also all the procedures will be executed under a =
legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. I shall =
need to be able trust you, as much as you will need to do the same about me. =
Therefore, I shall advice you to
Kindly reply my email, depicting acceptance in good faith of my proposal. =
Upon receipt of your reply, I shall furnish you with relevant documents that =
will help guide and ensure your optimum understanding of the above stated =
transaction. Additionally, I shall require you to forward to me your =
telephone and fax numbers for easy communication.
I am sure that I need not state that the foregoing requires utmost =
confidentiality.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Ochoa Nicholas
Kindly send your response to my
Personal email:ochoa_Nicholas112@yahoo.com

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