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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: Marius Elegbebe <mr_el19@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <marius_elegbebe@yahoo.fr>
Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:25:22 +0100
Subject: URGENT PLEASE



FROM: MR MARIUS ELEGDEBE, CONTINENTAL BANK PLC,COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC.

Dear Trusting Friend,

I pray that this email reaches you in the best of health. In this good Year, I present my best wishes to you and your family with blessings, goodness and mercy. This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not yet met. The message could be strange but it's real if you pay some attention to it.

In a brief introduction, I am Mr. Marius Elegbebe, the Director of Operations with Continental Bank Plc, Cotonou Republic of Benin. I have a very interesting deal to discuss with you, The business under discussion has to do with one of our most respected customer late Mr. Bartolomei C. Malatesta who is a national of America and was employed as a Consultant/contractor with Societe Nationale Des Products D' Agricole (SONAPRA) a cotton manufacturing company here in Cotonou-Benin.

On 25th December 2003,late Mr. Bartolomei C. Malatesta with his wife and their only daughter was involved in a plane crash victims with Boe 727-type air plane belonging to African Transport Union (UTA).In this fatal tragedy with Beirut-bound flight, 110 persons died and Over 40 others still reported missing, while 22 passengers survived, you may confirm the tradegy of the said air crash through the follow BBC coverage below

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3350455.stm (or)(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3353551.stm).
Since then I have made several inquiries to your Embassy in a bid to locate any relatives of the Late Mr. Bartolomei C. Malatesta. All attempts to reach the next of kin have been futile as He had no family here in the Benin Republic.

Hence it was my decision to contact you with the proposition that you and I should to go into partnership. The nature of your business is completely irrelevant to this transaction as all I need from you is an assurance that my interest will be fully protected once this transaction is concluded. The late Mr. Bartolomei C. Malatesta had made a number of fixed deposits for a twelve-month period and his account held with our Bank has accrued to Five Million US Dollars. According to the Benin Law, at the expiration of Five years the money will revert to the ownership of the Benin government should nobody claim the funds.

Consequently, my proposal is that I would like you as a foreigner to apply as the next of kin in order to claim the estate of the Late Mr. Bartolomei C. Malatesta so as to prevent fruits of this old man's labour from getting into the hands of corrupt government officials who would no doubt use the money to sponsor war in Africa.

Please note that there will be no problem at all, my position as the Director of Operation guarantees the successful execution of this transaction within 7 Banking days and the money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 40% for you and 60% for me.

This is very simple, I will like you to reply immediately so that I can send you the Text of application which you will fill and apply to the bank as the next of kin to Late Mr. Bartolomei C. Malatesta and I will use my good position in the bank as the Director of Operation to make sure that the application is approved, during board meeting for immediate payment.

If you are interested, reply immediately VIA my private email address mariuselegbebe@yahoo.fr so that we can proceed at once. Please also send to me your private phone, or mobile numbers for easier correspondence. I look forward to hearing from you Regards.Marius Elegbebe.
_________________________________________________________________
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