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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: "Clement" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <maitreclement@e-mail.cz>
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:08:31 +0200
Subject: Dear, Lets do it together for our benefit,If You Can!

Dear, Lets do it together for our benefit.

I am a personal attorney to my late client. Since he and his family perished on the plane crash in France,

See:http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/25/newsid_2797000/2797965.stm

For 9years, I am not able to contact any of his family members. He has 5.9million USD in a bank here in Benin,

which no one has come forward to claim till date. Hence I solicit your cooperation to work with me to claim the

funds as a next of kin. The bank will not reject anyone I endorse, and there is no risk and I offer you 40%.

If no one claims the funds this year, through the banking law, after 10years the funds would be deposited with the

government treasury.

Regards,

Maitre Clement Adjovi

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