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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: ept04@centrum.sk
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:41:10 +0100
Subject: I WAIT FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE REPLY


>From Mr. P E. Tommy

Re: Translation of $26,100,000.00 US Dollars.

I am P E. Tommy, I work as accredited solicitor with First Trust Security
Ltd an Investment & Fund Management Institution in United Kingdom.

I have an investor under my portfolio with a deposit savings of
$26.100,000.00 USD as his first initial deposit. This investor her husband
and kids died Five years ago leaving no WILL or AUTHORISATION for
Re-transfer of his investment and its proceeds to the INHERITOR.

Fervent efforts was made by First Trust Security Ltd to locate his
next-of-kin or either his foreign partner or representative as stated in the
internal memo on the deposit bond agreement signed by the depositor and the
firm without success.

Since I was her appointed attorney on the time of depositing, a letter was
sent to me to provide her next of kin or foreign partner/Representative
hence the name was withheld, which I tried but proved to no avail.

I have personally carried out an investigation on the subject matter and was
made to understand that the relatives of the investor knows nothing about
her investment with the firm and none have any records of this deposit and
investment with First Trust Security Ltd , there by creating an avenue for
claiming of the said funds on presentation of a trustworthy person that can
stand as the INHERITOR or partner/Representative to the deceased.

If you are interested i can present you as the INHERITOR with proper
documentation that will qualify you to have the funds claimed, and on doing
this they will not question the release of the funds to you as i will make
sure that we comply with the banking laws and ethics of claiming the
investment, I am assuring you of your personality risk free.

All I required in pure heart is a partner to work with and achieve this
transaction. Hence I can not do this alone, i deem it better dealing with an
external person to enable the transaction lay covered after a successfully
execution.

Pertaining the disbursement of the 26.1million us dollars, I am willing to
let you have 49% of the total sum, while 51% will be for me.

I expect your respond, when i hear from you we can talk for more
understanding as this matter require an urgent follow up. Please your
earliest respond will be highly appreciated.

Sincerely.
Tommy

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