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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: "Paul Richard" <paulrichard01@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: paulrichard02@aim.com
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:23:50 +0000
Subject: AN URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED


*BARR.PAUL RICHARD (Esq.)
Terry Waya Chambers
409 Norton burg,
Accra, Ghana-West Africa.
Reply to:paulrichard02@live.com <to%3Apaulrichard02@live.com>
Telephone +233-247547295,

Attn:,

Compliments of the day to you. I must solicit your confidentiality and
assure you that I am contacting you in good faith and this proposal will be
of mutual benefit.*

*I am Barr. PAUL (Esq.), a legal practitioner. My client who was a member
board of trustees SPDC London was killed with his entire family in a fatal
accident, sparing none of their lives, some years ago. Before his death, I
assisted him in the deposit of some funds with a Security Company for
safekeeping. The funds have remained unclaimed since his death, and such
unclaimed funds are appropriated and returned to the treasury as a matter of
policy. Considering the lack of success in my bid to locate any of his
relatives for over a year now, I hereby solicit your consent to enable me
present you as the Next of Kin to my deceased client. *

*I am contacting you for two reasons. Firstly, you both have the same last
name, which makes the claim most credible. Secondly, I strongly believe that
the Security Company does not deserve to inherit the funds, These reasons
led to my resolve to claim the funds which was why I contacted you, With
your permission, I will proceed to establish you as the next of
kin/Beneficiary to my late client. As soon as this is done, you will then
give instructions to the Security Company, to transfer the deposited funds
into another account you will provide, after which we shall then share the
funds upon agreed terms. *

*Finally, I demand that you keep this transaction confidential till we
complete the deal and also confirm that the funds have been transferred into
any nominated bank account of ours. I would want you to furnish me with the
following information which will assist me in this claim,

1,FULL NAME________________
2,CONTACT ADDRESS________
3,TELEPHONE AND FAX_______
4,OCCUPATION______________*

*5, AGE______________________

These information will assist me to secure the necessary papers in your name
When I receive your response, I will provide you with further details.

I await your reply,

BARR.PAUL RICHARD {Esq.}.*

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