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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: "joshua007 Gazeta.pl" <joshua007@gazeta.pl>
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 20:15:49 +0200
Subject: CONSIDER IT AND GET BACK TO ME


*

From:Barr:Joshua Ezekiel,
(Ezekiel Chambers and Solicitor)
59 Rue Boulevard Djankasse,
B.P.50214,
Lome-Togo.

Dear Willams*


*As it may interest you to know, I got your impressive information through
the business directory at chamber of commerce and Industry here in
Lome-Togo, where I was searching for a good reliable contact which I will
entrust this business oppurtunity into its control, I was elated when I saw
your address,and I picked a keen interest with confidence to solicit for
your help in executing this oppurtunity.

However,I was moved to contact you base on the present situation of this
oppurtunity which I may say that it is God given time offer, their is a
foreigner who lived here in Lome-Togo long ago called Arthur Willams, by
name,and it happened that the man registered to me as his private personal
attorney,unfortunately the man died with his wife and their two kids in
plain crash which happened on 30th October, 2005. Owing to the death of this
man called Arthur Willams, by name,his bank called on me for his balance
with the bank as his attorney since January 2006,to invite his relatives to
come and claim the money,I tried all I could to trace his family,but all my
efforts proved arbortive,then from october last year 2007,till now,the bank
has been pressurising me to look for his family because they realise that a
lot of swindlers have been forwarding application to claim the money as his
next of kin,but it happen that after much verification,they will find out
that those people were rogues,because they cannot provide a legal evidence
to prove that they were his bonafide relatives.

Moreover,I have decided to use you as his next of kin to claim the money for
my own personal use as it happen that his relatives were not available up
till now,and I have all his documented memo in my file which will back you
up before the bank as his next of kin,I will still obtain a genuine legal
evidence which I will do with your name tocertify that you are the rightful
next of kin to the deceased.

Furthermore,the amount involved is ($20 000.,000.00) TWENTY MILLION United
State Dollars,therefore I will like you to furnish me with your full name
and address , which I will use to secure the legal documents,as soon as I
receive your address,I will form an application which you will submit to the
concerned bank as his next of kin.Be rest assured that their is no risk
involved as I have perfected and made the neccessary arrangements to back
you up in claiming the fund.

Finally,you have to maintain the high secret this business demands as the
bank does not know that I am using you to claim the money on my
own,besides,I will compensate you with 30% of the total money for your help
and assistance,and I will like to invest my own part of the money in your
country base on your advice.Therefore you can now forward the address and
your full name,and I will furnish you with the application as soon as you
reply this mail.*
*

CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS------------barrister_joshua_ezekiel004@yahoo.co.uk
*


*Thanks as I await for your reply.

Best Regards,
Barr Joshua Ezekiel ESQ.
*

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