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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?q?John=20Edward=20LLB?= <johedw8@yahoo.in>
Reply-To: johedw62uk@live.com
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 19:40:33 +0530 (IST)
Subject: NOTIFICATION PAYMENT OF "WILL" FUND


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: johedw8@yahoo.in



- From: John Edward LLB 57 Bedford Row London,WC1R 4LR United Kingdom NOTIFICATION REQUEST On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Sir Charles Wexler, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address on the "Will", I wish to notify you that Late Sir Charles Wexler, made you a beneficiary to his "Will", he left the sum of USD$2.5Million to you in the codicil and last testament to his "Will", this may sound strange and unbelievable to you, but I have been given the task to locate you. Being a widely traveled man (Late Sir Charles Wexler), he must have been in contact with you in the past or simply you were nominated to him by one of his numerous friends abroad who wished you good, Late Sir Charles Wexler, until his death was a former managing director and pioneer staff of a giant construction company. He was a very dedicated business man who loved to give out. His g!
reat philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time. Late Sir Charles Wexler, died on the 5th day of February 2004 at the age of 82 years, and his "WILL" is now ready for execution. According to instructions left by him these funds should be used in the support for Humanitarian/Charity activities and to help the poor and the needy. Please If I reach you as I am hopeful, 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. Reply via my private E-mail:johedw62uk@live.com Yours faithfully, John Edward LLB (LONDON)


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