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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: "TELEX UNIT" <telexunit21@gmail.com>
Reply-To: christbenson@live.com
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:10:57 -0700
Subject: GOOD DAY MY BELOVE


BARR CHRISTIAN BENSON
MANAGING PARTNER & SOLICITORS
415 ROYAL LIVER BUILDING,
PIER HEAD, LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

Re: NOTIFICATION OF REQUEST

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late
Engr.Reinhard Hermann, I once again try to notify you as my earlier
letter to you returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you
again by this same email address on the WILL.

I wish to notify you that Late Engr. Reinhard Hermann made you a
Beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Seventeen Million Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars ($17,500.000.00 USD) to you in
the codicil and last testament to his WILL. This may sound strange and
unbelievable to you, but it is real and true. Being a widely traveled
man, he must have been in contact with you in the past or simply you
were recommended to him by one of his numerous Friends abroad who
wished you good.

Engr Reinhard Hermann until his death was a member of the Helicopter
Society and the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers. He had
a very good heart and was a philanthropist. His great philanthropy
earned him numerous awards during his life time. I.e.UNO, WHO, &
UNESCO.

Late Engr. Reinhard Hermann died on the 13th day of December, 2007.
At the age of 80 years, and his WILL is now ready for execution.
According to him this money is to support your humanitarian activities
and to help the poor and the needy in your society. Please if I reach
you this time as I am hoping, endeavor to get back to me as soon as
possible to enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear from you in no
distant time.

Sincerely yours,
BARR CHRISTIAN BENSON (ESQ).
C BENSON & SOLICITORS
MANAGING PARTNERS/SOLICITORS

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