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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: "ANTHONIO CARLOS" <suanzs@excite.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: anthoniocarlos@excite.com
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:05:22 +0200
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL

Dear Friend,
I am Mr. ANTHONIO CARLOS. a senior staff in the auditing and accounting section of Banco de Santander España, in Madrid. I need your assistance to transfer to overseas one million, Five Hundred Thousand Euros (1,500.000.00). I am seeking a reliable and honest person who will be capable enough to provide either an existing bank account or set up a new Bank account to receive this fund. An empty account can serve this purpose, or you can help me with the search of an honest and reliable businessman who can assist us.
During the course of auditing for the last financial year, My colleague and I discovered a floating fund in a domiciliary account opened in the bank in mid 1998 and since 2003 nobody has operated on this account, after going through all documentation relating to the account, we discovered that the Account Owner, who was a foreign Expat, working within the Iberia region died without any traceable next of kin; hence the dormant nature of the account and if we do not remit this money out urgently it will be re-channel back into the banks reserve.
I suggest we start the first transfer with 1 million Euros (1,000.000) and upon the successful transfer of the first 1 million without hitches or disappointment from you I shall re-apply for the remittance of the balance of the fund to your nominated account.
I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this money cannot be approved for a local account here and I am not supposed to be in possession of such amount of money as a banker in my position, but the fund can only be approved to a foreigner or into a foreign account.
I suggest we meet face to face to get acquainted, as the fund in question is a large one before we commence with transfer. I need your full cooperation to make this work fine, as I will use my office to see that the transaction is hitch free and I will use my office to ensure that this transaction is accomplished. Should this meet your interest, do get back to me with you contact details so that I will have you briefed more about this transaction.
On the conclusion of this business, you will be given 30% of the total amount, 65% will be for me and my partners while 5% will be for expenses both parties may have incurred during the process of this transaction. Please, you have been advised to keep this as secret, as we are still in service and intend to retire from service after we conclude this deal with you. I will be monitoring the whole situation here in this bank until you confirm the money in your account. Then, can arrangement be made on the division of the fund according to the said percentage indicated and further investment, either in your country or any country you advice us to invest in. All other necessary information will be sent to you when I read from you.

I suggest you get back to me as soon as possible, state your interest in the proposal, by mailing me through my private email address as follows: anthoniocarlos@excite.com <mailto:anthoniocarlos@excite.com>
Best regards,
Mr.ANTHONIO CARLOS.


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