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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: bernardgourlaouen1@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:17:28 +0100
Subject: Trust/Confidential proposal ! !

Mr. Bernard GOURLAOUEN
General Manager,
Societe General Bank
Clozel, Cotonou
Benin Republic.

Dear friend,

I am Mr. Bernard GOURLAOUEN the General Manager, Societe General Bank,and also a special account officer to a foriegn customer with the bank. He was a Seasoned Contractor with Benin Cement Company in Benin Republic; who unfortunately died in the plane crash of Union Transport Africains Flight Boeing 727 in Cotonou, Benin republic on the december 25,2003.

You will read more stories about the crash on visiting this website www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/

Before his death, he has a fixed deposit account with my bank and no other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it.

My investigation and a review of the account opening file proved that his supposed next of kin died along with him in the crash.

Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of his extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

I decided to contact you so that I can use my official capacity to attest that you are the bona-fide next of kin so that approval will be given for the release and transfer of the money to an account you will norminate before the fund will be confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.

The account balance is at US$65 million. Upon transfer to your account, I have the plan to resign my appointment with the bank so that I can come over to your country for the shearing of the fund with you in the percentage we will agree on.

I have the official capacity to perfect the logistics required to ensure a swift approval and hitch free transfer under a well arranged risk free framework.All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

All documents of transaction will be destroyed immedia tely we receive this money leaving no trace to any place.
Please reply back to my private email address (bernardgourlaouen1@gmail.com )

Best regards,

Mr. Bernard GOURLAOUEN




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