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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: wilson banny <wilbanny463@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <wilbanny@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 13:06:44 +0000
Subject: Hello Esposito



Hello Esposito I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a large sum of money from a dormant account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you That all will be well at the end of the day. PROPOSITION I discovered an abandoned sum of US$7,500, 000.00 (Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign Customers by name Mr. Brian M. Esposito This very account has been dormant for some years now. After my investigations, I discovered that the account owner has died since January 2000. Since his death, nobody has come forward to lay claims to this money and recently my bank issued a notice that the account will be declared unserviceable and the funds called to the government treasury since no relative of the deceased customer came up. In order to avert this negative action, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin so that will funds will be released in your favor as the next of kin. Please acknowledge the receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavor by furnishing me with the following if you are willing to work with me. 1. Your full name2. Address3. Occupation4. Telephone and fax This information will enable me work on the account file so that you can now apply for the release of the funds as the next of kin to the account. We are going to share the total sum on final conclusion of this project on a 50-50 equal. If you are truly disposed and capable of handling this with me, reach me immediately. Regards,Wilson Banny.
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