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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: "Kelvin Grant" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kelgrant01@i12.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:32:29 +0100
Subject: Hello

I await your "Acceptance Letter"...(02/24/2010)

THIS IS FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

I wish to notify you that you were listed as a beneficiary to an Inheritance totaling a sum

of 8,600,000.00GBP (Eight Million, Six Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in the codicil and

last testament of the deceased.(Name now withheld). I am contacting you because you bear the

surname identity of the deceased and therefore, we can present you as the beneficiary to the

inheritance.

I therefore reckon that you can receive this fund as you are qualified by your name

identity. All the legal papers will be processed on your acceptance. In the light of the

above, I request that you kindly forward to me your letter of acceptance; your current

telephone and fax numbers and a forwarding address to enable us file the necessary documents

at the High Court Probate Division for the release of this sum of money to you.

If per adventure, you deem it fit to be part of this great promising venture, please

indicate your interest by responding to this notice via my personal email address:

kelgrant01@i12.com


Yours faithfully,

Kelvin Grant.

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