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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: larrybrown002@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 01:55:59 +0800
Subject: INVITATION TO TREAT!!

I work as an international auditor for a reputable Bank (ALM) Asset Liability
Managerial department monitoring five branches including Singapore, Belgium
and Netherlands. I have taken pains to find your contact through personal
endeavours which I may explain to you upon your response.

A possible family member of yours (name withheld for security reason) died
nine months ago leaving behind an investment totalling a very tidy sum with my
bank.With interest at today's value, the said investment has grown considerably.

His lawyer has since notified my department of the sudden death of the said
investor in a car crash and the lawyer has also asked us to check through our
records to see who his client may have indicated as next of kin to the
investment, since the fiancé (Derby Myrthe) who was indicated in his WILL as
beneficiary to most of his properties also died in the same car crash.

Findings and verification as auditor in the bank has led me to realize that
the investor has also named his fiancé as next of kin to the investment.

We have as yet not informed anyone of this because of the implications, the
investor's lawyer will obviously handover his properties including the
investment to the government which will in turn be shared amongst undeserving
government officials.

However, because of the relevance of the sameness of your surname and you
being a possible relative to the late investor, we are making you this
proposal since my boss and I can provide you with much needed information to
claim the investment.

You are guaranteed that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of the law, as the funds did not
originate from terrorism or drugs, but through inheritance.

Please kindly reply through my private email (infolarrybrown@aol.com) to
confirm your full name, telephone and fax number to enable us discuss and
facilitate all due process regarding this transaction.

Yours truly,
Larry.

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