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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: "zxs c" <zxs.c@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: mrgodwin_smithjohnson@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 11:40:55 +0700
Subject: Letter !!!


Letter !!!
>From the Desk of:
Mr Godwin Smith Johnson.

Thailand,Bangkok


Wth great pleasure I Mr.Godwin Smith Johnson, Credit controlanager of a Bank
(name upheld)is writing you in respect of a foreign customer an Oil
consultant/contractor with Iraq National Petroleum Corporation,Engr.Lee
Seunghyo made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months
valued at US$25,000,000.00 (Twenty-five Million Dollars) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but
got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered
from his contract employers, the Iraq National Petroleum Corporation that
Engr.Lee Seunghyo died in Korean Air Flight 801, which crashed in Guam on
August 1997 with other passengers onboard. I therefore made further
investigation and discovered that Engr. Lee Seunghyo died without making a
WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.Also, he did
not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official
ocuments,including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.This sum of
US$25,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being
rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year.

Since the demise of this our customer, I have personally watched the account
with keen interest to see the next of kin but all has proved abortive as no
one has come to claim his FIXED DEPOSIT fund of SD.$25million, [Twenty five
million United States Dollars] which has been with my branch for a very long
time. Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward
to lay claims for this money asthe heir.

A member of our government trade delegation to your country gave your
impeccable profile to me. Hence I have decided to seek your co-operation in
this business deal due to the sensitivity of this transaction. Itmay
interest you to know that I am only contacting you as a foreigner because
this money cannot be approved to a local Bank account here, but can only be
approved to a foreigner with an account since the money is in US Dollars. I
have decided as a matter of urgency upon this discovery now seek your
permission to have you stand as next of kin to the deceased Engr. Lee
Seunghyo as No one has ever come forward to claim this
fund.

In accordance to Bangkok,Thailand Law, fund deposited for a long period of
time without claim will be reverted to the Iraq Government treasury if
nobody applies to claim this fund after a long period of time. I want you to
co-operate with me so that the fruits of this man's labour will not get into
the hands of some unsrupulous corrupt government officials if NOT CLAIMED
now. I have secured from the probate an Order of Madamus to locate any of
deceased beneficiaries. Hence I am contacting you with this proposal.

This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and
address,Date of Birth, Occupation,Tel & Fax Numbers so that the Attorney
will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits which will put you in
place as the next of kin. We shall employ the services of two Attorneys for
drafting and notorization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents
and letter of probate/administration in your favour for the transfer.

The Bank cannot release the fund from his account unlesssomeone banking
guidelines. I have almost resolved to finalize this transaction with some
money to secure documents in your name as the bonafide beneficiary of this
fund $25m which guarantees our safety and successful transfer. With the
above suggestion, It is reliable,safe and quick for transfer process.

At the successful conclusion of this business, your goodself shall be
entitled to have 40% that is, USD$10m of the total money while I will have
55% that is USD$13.750m and 5% that is USD$1.250m for ommunicationsand other
expenses. I am ready to invest a reasonable percentage of mine into any
viable business you suggest as a joint partner.

Your response is highly imperative as this is a TWO-man business deal
transaction as I shall then provide you with more details and relevant
documents that will help you understand the transaction. I need your
assistance and co-operation to this reality as I have done my Home-work and
fine tune the best way to create you as all the paperwork for this
transaction will be done by the Attorney and my position as the Branch
Manager guarantees the successful execution of this transaction with you as
the beneficiary to this fund. Your percentage will also be a source of
upliftment.You have absolutely nothing to LOSE in assisting me instead, you
have so much to GAIN. Be rest assured that this transaction would be most
profitable for both of us.

I will appreciate your early reply for commencement of business.Contact me
for acknowledgement by E-mail and whereby you are not interested,please
indicate in your reply so that I can seek for the assistance of someone
else.

Thanks for your expected co-operation and treat ASAP as your utmost
Trust,Honesty and Confidentiality will be highly appreciated in this
business deal transaction.

Thanks with great regards.

Mr.Godwin Smith Johnson

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