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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: Dickson Dada <b_billy@mac.com>
Reply-To: dicksondada@yahoo.es
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:14:57 +0100
Subject: Richard Gates


Confidential Fax: ++44 700 605 0428 =
Personal Email:dicksondada@yahoo.es =
29th July 2008
Dear Friend,
My name is Mr. Dickson Dada. I work as a senior investment consultant for a =
bank here in United Kingdom. I also work as part of the regional team that =
covers the entire Central European region. I had taken pains to find your =
contact through personal endeavours.

Approximately five years ago, an investor (Mr. Richard L. Gates =96 Deceased =
nine months ago) invested a total of US$14.777M (Fourteen Million, Seven =
Hundred & Seventy-Seven Thousand United State Dollars) with my department. =
With interest at today=92s value, the said invested fund is now worth =
US$21.7M (Twenty-One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand United State Dollars).
Late Richard Gates=92 Attorney/Lawyer notified my department of the sudden =
death (Car Accident) of Mr. Richard L. Gates. He (the attorney) also =
expresses concern that Richard had died without a WILL and he has no details =
of any surviving relatives. The lawyer has now requested my department to =
check our records to clarify who Late Richard L. Gates may have named as his =
next of Kin on the investment application. Fortunately, or rather =
unfortunately, the person named as next of kin, was his girl friend who also =
died in the car accident. I have not yet notified the lawyer that the next of =
Kin was the girl friend. I virtually have another fourteen working days to do =
so.
Should I notify the lawyer of my findings, automatically, the invested funds =
will be confiscated by the U.K. Government? This I do not mind, my concerns =
and worries is that the funds once released from our bank, it will be =
diverted else where by senior U.K. government functionaries for their =
personal gains. On the basis of my worries, my immediate boss and I decided =
to act fast by contacting and inviting you to work with us posing as a =
relative of the deceased. With our insider=92s privileged information, the =
funds can be paid to you as the only surviving relative. We have all the =
information and guidance to enable you and us realize this opportunity. We =
have evaluated the risk analysis and we are convinced that there is no risk =
element, as long as we both maintain strict confidentiality.
As you should understand, I am taking a great risk contacting you and making =
this proposal. Therefore, you should understand why I must say no more about =
this transaction until I receive a call, email or fax from you confirming =
receipt of this letter.
Once secured communication has been established between you and us, detailed =
clarifications will be dealt with, such as what each party stand to benefit =
and time scale and procedures. Time is not in our favour. Please establish =
secured communication with me through any of the above means.
Yours truly
Mr. Dickson Dada.

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