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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: Sparrow Williams <drsparrow_12d@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:14:51 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT MAIL FROM DR SPARROW.


FOREIGN REMITANCE DEPARTMENT,
ABSA BANK SOUTH AFRICA.
BLOCK C(2ND FLOOR)HATFIELD,1110ARCADIA,
PRETORIA,
SOUTH AFRICA.
Reply To; drsparrowonlines1@yahoo.com





Dear sir,


Please do not feel bad receiving my message. my name is Dr Sparrow Williams of foreign remitance department Absa Bank. I am a good friend and the bank officer to Late Mr.Park Irvin, national of United Kingdom who was born on the 7th day of Jan,1955 in UK who untill his death he has no wife nor son or daughter to claim his assets hence he was burried here.He is a Contractor and have spent most of his life in my country South Africa. I wish to inform you that mr Park Irvin,who is now late was involved in a car accident along Capetown express road and unfortunately lost his life on the 27th day of september,2002 at Capetown.

Since then I have made several enquiries to theUK embassy to locate any of his extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful, hence,i have contacted you. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track your name over the Internet, to locate any Member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the assets and Capital valued at US$11.5million left behind by mr Park Irvin before it gets confiscated by the bank because this huge deposit was lodged as treasury bills. The Bank here in South Africa has issued me a notice to provide the next of Kin or have the treasury bill confiscated. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating any of his relatives for over two years now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of kin to the deceased , so that the proceeds of this treasury bill can be paid to you.

Please on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the modalities for claim. I have all the necessary informations and legal documents needed to back you up for claim. All I require from you is your honesty. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I wait to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

DR SPARROW WILLIAMS.


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