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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: james smith <james.smith_esq37@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <barrister_james.smith112@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:01:57 +0000
Subject: urgent contact


FROM THE DESK OF,BARRISTER JAMES SMITH (Esq.).DEAR Sir/Madam,I AM SORRY FOR CONTACTING YOU THROUGH THIS MEDIUM WITHOUT A PREVIOUS NOTICE; I HAD TO USE THE E-MAIL BECAUSE IT IS AN EASIER AND MORE CONFIDENTIAL WAY OF MAKING CONTACT YOU. MY NAME IS BARRISTER JAMES SMITH; I'M FIFTY FIVE (55) YEAR OLD AFRICAN AMERICAN ATTORNEY IN PRACTICE HERE IN LONDON ENGLAND. I HAD A CLIENT BY NAME MR. VICTOR PENN, A BUSINESSMAN BASED HERE IN LONDON, NOW DECEASED. MY CLIENT LOST HIS LIFE ALONGSIDE WITH HIS WIFE AND ONLY CHILD ON THE 7TH OF JULY 2005 ON A BOMB BLAST HERE IN LONDON.PRIOR TO THE DEATH OF MY LATE CLIENT HE MADE A FIXED DEPOSIT OF NINE MILLION, EITH HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS IN A FINANCE HOME IN LONDON, ENGLAND. AS HIS PERSONAL ATTORNEY BEFORE HIS DEATH, I HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED AND INSTRUCTED BY THE FINANCE HOME HERE IN U.K WHERE THE MONEY IS CURRENTLY DEPOSITED THAT I SHOULD PROVIDE AND FORWARD THE PARTICULARS OF MR. VICTOR'S NEXT OF KIN SO THAT THE FUNDS IN HIS ACCOUNT CAN BE REMITTED INTO HIS NEXT OF KIN'S ACCOUNT IN ACCORDANCE WITH BRITISH LAWS.HOWEVER, AS THE PERSONAL ATTORNEY AND CLOSE CONFIDENT OF LATE MR. VICTOR, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MY LATE CLIENT DIED INTERSTATE, I.E. HE DIED WITHOUT LEAVING A WILL. HENCE, ALL MY EFFORTS TO LOCATE ANY OF HIS RELATIVE WHOM I CAN PRESENT TO THE FINANCE HOME HAS PROVED ABORTIVE. THEREFORE I AM SEEKING FOR YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU AS THE DECEASED RELATIVE/NEXT OF KIN AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE BENEFICIARY OF THE FUND SO THAT THE PROCEED OF THIS ACCOUNT VALUED AT NINE MILLION, EITH HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS CAN BE PAID TO YOU FOR SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND I. 50% FOR ME, 50% FOR YOU.IF YOU CAN COOPERATE WITH ME AND RECEIVE THIS FUND AS NEXT OF KIN TO MR. VICTOR, CONFIRM YOUR INTEREST BY CONTACTING ME THROUGH MY E-MAIL. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE DEAL IS 100% RISK FREE BECAUSE I AM IN POSSESSION OF THE DECEASED PERSONAL FILE WHICH CONTAINS ALL INFORMATION'S WHICH I SHALL USE TO PROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DECEASED AND THEREAFTER THE MONEY WILL BE PAID INTO THE ACCOUNT OF WHOMEVER I PRESENT AS MR. VICTOR'S NEXT OF KIN WITH PROOFS THAT I WILL PRESENT TO THE BANK WHEN NEEDED.KINDLY CONFIRM THESE INFORMATION'S BELOW:1) Your full name.2) Phone, fax and mobile #.3) Company name, position and address.4) Profession, age and marital status.A TEXT OF APPLICATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU, TO CONTACT THE FINANCE HOME WITH, FOR URGENT TRANSFER OF THE MONEY, TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT, WHEN YOU DO RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL.PLEASE REPLY THIS MESSAGE TO MY PRIVATE E-MAIL ADDRESS, THAT IS: barrister_james.smith112@yahoo.co.ukYOURS TRULY,BARRISTER JAMES SMITH.
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