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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
  • "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Daniel Awele" <danawele01@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:44:52 -0100
Subject: LETTER

From the Desk of:
Mr. Daniel Awele

With great pleasure I Daniel Awele , working with a bank
here as a Manager. I am writing you in respect of a foreign
customer (an Oil consultant/contractor with our National Oil
& Liquidified Gas Sector) whom made a US$25M depository for
an investment program that has remained dormant for years
now. Hence, I have decided to contact you due to the urgency
of this transaction.

On personal investigation, I discovered that the account
holder died on December 2002 in the Ukrainian aircraft
crash. I made further investigation and discovered that the
customer died without making a WILL on the depository.

It may 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 fund
as No one has ever come forward to claim this fund. It may
also interest you to know that I have secured from the
probate an ORDER OF MANDAMUS to locate any of deceased
beneficiary. In accordance to Nigerian Law, fund deposited
for over a period of Six (6) years without claim will be
reverted to the Government treasury, if nobody applies to
claim this fund.

I will like you to provide immediately your full Names and
Address, Date of Birth, Occupation, Tel & Fax Numbers so
that an Attorney will be able to prepare the necessary
documents and affidavit which will put you in place as the
next of kin. The Attorney will draft and carry out the
notarization of the WILL and also obtain the necessary
documents and letter of probate/administration in your
favour for the transfer.

At the successful conclusion of this business, if you will
stand as next of kin to the fund, it will be shared 50%/50%.
which your good-self shall be entitled to have, USD$12.5M of
the total money. I am ready to invest a reasonable
percentage of mine into any viable business you suggest as a
joint partner. Your percentage will also be a source of
up-liftment. 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.

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 the beneficiary
while I would use my connection and money to secure almost
all the paperwork for this transaction which 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.

I will appreciate your early reply for commencement of
business. Contact me for acknowledgment 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.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, I expect that you
will not take undue advantage of the trust I Will bestow in
you. I await your urgent response.

Thanks with great regards.

Mr. Daniel Awele

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam