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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: "Woods Maxwell & Associates" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <woodsmaxwell@sanook.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2009 13:49:43 -0700
Subject: From the Desk of: Woods Maxwell Esq.

Woods Maxwell & Associates
4 Al Rashid Street, Gargash Center, Deira Dubai
E-mail: woodsmaxwell@sanook.com
Reference # GLS./LEGALH//PRO/PRCDRE 2312.

SUBJECT: - Next of kin/Will Beneficiary to Mr. Richard Meyer.
Good Day Friend,
This is a personal email directed to you and I request that it be treated as such. I am Woods Maxwell Esq. a British national; I have live and worked in Dubai United Arab Emirates for 13 years with my family which I am the personal attorney/sole executor to the late Mr. Richard Meyers of Dublin Ireland. Herein after referred to as " my client" I represent the interest of my client killed with his immediate family in a small plane crash near Eveleth, Minnesota on October 25, 2002 and I will like to negotiate the terms of investment of resources available to him.
My client was a contractor to Shell Petroleum Development Company, United Kingdom (SPDC), and had left behind a deposit of Five Million Six Hundred United States Dollars only ($5,600,000.00 USD) with a Bank here in United Arab Emirates where I am presently residing. The funds originated from contract transactions he executed in his registered area of business. Just after his death, I was contacted by his Bank to provide his next of kin; reasons being that his deposit agreement contains a residuary clause giving his personal attorney express authority to
nominate the beneficiary to his funds. Unknown to the Bank here in Dubai United Arab Emirates that my client had left no possible trace of any of his close relative with me, making all efforts in my part to locate his family relative proved to be unfruitful since his death. Note down from my clients own story, he was only adopted and his foster parents whom he lost in 1976, according to him, had no possible trace of his real family. By virtue of my closeness to the deceased and his immediate family, I am very much aware of my client's financial standing. I do sincerely sympathize the death of my client, but had thought it unprofitable for his funds to be submitted to the government of this country and the finance institution where the fund is lodged.
On this note, I decided to search for a credible person and was moved to contact you to put up a claim to the bank in that capacity as a next of kin/will beneficiary to my client, so that the proceeds of his bank account valued at Five Million Six Hundred United States Dollars only ($5,600,000.00 USD) can be paid to you, before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable to the Bank where this huge deposit is lodged.
Note that this is legal and 100% risk free. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. As I said, I require only a solemn confidentiality on this. Please get in touch via my alternative email: deniswaltercham@aol.com for better confidentiality and if okay by you, send me your full name and address, telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further on this transaction and also to enable me go to the Dubai High Court here in Bur- Dubai and secure all legal documentation on your behalf to enable you get the legal backing to the claim If this proposal is acceptable by you.
I am looking forward to your understanding and co-operation.

Kind Regards.
Woods Maxwell Esq.


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