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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.
• Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • williamsokoye@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: William Okoye <esqk35@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <williamsokoye@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 13:53:28 +0100
Subject: Urgent Response



BARRISTER WILLIAM OKOYE & ASSOCIATES.Plot 5678, Ahmadu Bello way,Victoria Island. Lagos - NigeriaEmail: williamsokoye@hotmail.com
Dear Friend,

I am Barrister William Okoye, a Solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to my late client who is a nationality of your country .He was a specialist Seasoned Contractor with Shell Petroleum Company in Lagos - Nigeria, who unfortunately died in the plane crash of Union Transport Africaines Flight Boeing 727 in Cotonou,Benin Republic on the December 26,2003.

You will read more stories about the crash on visiting this website:
Www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/

Before his death on the 26th December 2003. He has a fixed Deposit account with one of the biggest commercial bank here in Nigeria and no other person knows about this account or anything concerning it,the account has no other beneficiary and my investigation proved to me that his supposed next of kin died along with him in the crash.

Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients Extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these Several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet,to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you but I know you don’t know him, but with your last name been the same, we can get this money before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.

Consequently, Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives For over 3 months now. I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$10.5 million can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money.

I will obtain all the necessary legal documents on your behave as the next of kin to the late deceased that can be used to back up any Claim we may make.

All I require is your honest co-operation 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 and am assuring you that it is 100% risk free transaction.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do send your reply on my above EMAIL ADDRESS: ******** williamsokoye@hotmail.com ********
Best Regards,
Willaim Okoye.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam