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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: "James Gordon" <jgordon2@telegraf.by>
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 01:06:44 +0100
Subject: HELLO.


Good day to You.

My name is James Gordon, I am the credit manager with a bank here in the
United Kingdom. I am contacting you in respect of a transaction of very
great importance. Though I know that contact of this nature will make any
one apprehensive and worried, I am assuring you that everything has been
taken care of, and you have nothing to fear at all and I would be very glad
if you would allow me bring you to a clearer picture of what is on ground,
what we intend to do and how we intend to do it.

This enquiry involves a client who shares your surname. It was brought to my
knowledge that the aforementioned client died intestate and nominated no
Next of Kin to the title over investments made. We came to know of you via
the London Global Database.Center (L.G.D.C.) Hence I am making this contact.
The essence of this communication with you is to request that you provide me
with information on 3 KEY issues:

1. Are you aware of any relative/relation having the same surname, who's
last known, contact address was London, United Kingdom?

2. Are you aware of any investment of considerable value made by such a
person with any Private Bankers?

3. Can you establish beyond reasonable doubt your eligibility to assume
status of Next of Kin to the deceased?

He died in an air crash along with his wife on the 31st October 1999 in an
Egyptian airline boeing 990 with other passengers onboard.

Since his death, none of his relatives or associates have come forward to
lay claims to his funds as Next-of-Kin, and on my own I have made concerted
effort to locate any of his relatives but all proved abortive. Based on the
ethics and policies of the bank,it would be declared unclaimed and taken to
the treasury of the bank as capital base of the bank, because already the
account has been tagged dormant because it has exceeded the normal
functional number of years.

We cannot release the funds from his account unless someone applies for it
or lays claim as the Next-of-Kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking
guidelines. Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission and assistance
to present you and have you stand as a Next of Kin to the deceased,so that
the funds can be released and transfer to you, as all documentations will be
carefully worked out by me for it to be released in your favor as the
beneficiary's Next of Kin, if not the members of the board of directors will
utilise it for their personal aggrandisement. Because after ten years as
this is the 9th year going, it will be called back to the bank treasury as
unclaimed bills and shared amongst the directors of the bank, so it is on
this note I decided to seek for whom his name shall be used as the Next of
Kin/beneficiary rather than allow the bank directors to share it amongst
themselves at the end of the year.

It may interest you to know that I have secured from the probate commission
an order of mandamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiaries. Please
acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business
endeavour by furnishing me with the following information if you are
interested.

1. A beneficiary name, in order for me to prepare the document for transfer
in your name.

2. Direct Telephone and fax numbers...For our personal contact and for easy
communication between both of us.

Upon your acceptance I shall send you my International Passport for more
confidentiality and trust in each other as I shall trust you not to elope at
completion. If this proposal is acceptable by you, please endeavor to
contact me immediately. Do not take undue advantage of the trust I have
bestowed in you.

I await your urgent response. Contact me via this email address please:
jgordonz1@live.com

Regards,

James Gordon.

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