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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: "Philip Price LLB" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <philippricellb@aol.nl>
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:52:00 +0200
Subject: HELLO!

Hello,
I seek your assistance on a business transaction that will be of mutual benefits.
Please, read below the details of this transaction and what
is required of you to get this transaction started:
Mr. Andrew Parker was my client for over a decade. He died of cardiac
arrest in 2002. He had a deposit in the sum of US$45M with Delta Lloyd
Finance Amsterdam.
The bank contacted me as Mr. Andrew Parker’s attorney to get his next
of kin. I have not been able to get any of his relations. The bank now
has the right to confiscate the funds if I do not produce his next of
kin soonest. This is the reason why I contacted you so you can act as
the next of kin.
If you reply this email by sending me your full name, address, telephone
and fax number, I will prepare and send to you a memorandum of understanding
which will have to be duly signed by both parties (your good self and I) as
an agreement, so as to protect the shares of both parties and to be in order
by laws of your country and the laws of my country.
After the signing of the MOU, I will then email to you the death certificate
of Andrew Parker. I will prepare Andrew Parker’s Will in your name. With the
Will, I will then get the letter of administration from the probate office
thereby making you the next of kin and the bona fide beneficiary of the funds.
I will forward the Will and the letter of administration to the Bank in Europe.
They will then contact you to come to their office to claim the said funds.
When you get to their office in Europe, you sign the funds release documents,
they will then transfer the sum of US$45M into your nominated account.
When the
funds are transferred into your nominated account, I will then travel to meet
with you to share the proceeds. I will take 80% and you will take 20%.
I will exhort you to not only treat this transaction with the gravity it
deserves, but also with urgency. May I reiterate that the importance of the
confidentiality and speed in this transaction cannot be over emphasized.
Hence in bolstering of confidentiality you are advised against discussing with
anyone or your bank the expectation of the funds until I advise you otherwise.
Please treat as urgent.
Send the information ASAP as time is of the essence.

Thank you and God bless.
Philip Price LLB
philippricellb@aol.nl

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