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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: JOHN ANDREW BRADFORD <john.hsbcmanager@gmail.com>
Reply-To: johnabradford53@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:52:16 +0200
Subject: PARTNERSHIP

Hello,

My name is Mr. John Andrew Bradford the present branch Manager of HSBC
Bank Plc here in London. I write you this proposal in good faith,
believing that I can trust you with the information I am about to
reveal to you. I have a business proposal that will benefit both of
us, but your assistance is required as a foreign partner.

I used to head the accounts department at my bank's head office, but
since January 2010 I was promoted to the position of a Manager and
transfer to our branch office in London because the former manager
passed on and that was how I became the present Manager and discovered
dormant fortune in my new office.

As I resumed duty, I discovered an account with total sum of
$65,500,000 Million that has not been operated on for the past 8
years. From my investigation, I found out that this account belongs
to one late president. Joao Bernardo Nino Vieira a great African
president that ruled his country since 1980 to 2009 and was
assassinated, who unfortunately lost his life in the crisis of African
politics. You shall read more news about the crisis by visiting this
site which I got during my investigations:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/João_Bernardo_Vieira The account is an
escrow account, a secret type of account in my bank, registered as
BOND and no other person knows about this account or anything
concerning it, the account has no other beneficiary. I have kept a
close monitoring of the account since then and nobody has come forward
to ask about the money as next of kin to the late president Joao
Bernardo Nino Vieira, meaning that no one is aware of the account. I
cannot directly take out this money without the help of a foreigner
and that is why I'm contacting you for an assistance to claim the
funds and share it with me. As the bank Manager of my branch, I have
the power to influence the release of the funds to any foreigner that
comes up as the next of kin to the account, with the correct
information concerning the account, which I shall give you if you
accept my proposal.

I am seeking your co-operation to present you as the next of kin to
the account, so that my Bank Head Quarters can release the funds to
you. There is practically no risk involved, the transaction will be
executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect the both of
us from any breach of law. If you accept to work with me, I want you
to state how you wish us to share the funds in percentage, so that
both parties will be satisfied. Contact me as soon as you receive
this message if you feel we can work together, so we can go over the
details.


Please provide me the following details. This is very, very urgent.

1. Full Name
2. Your Private Mobile Number or Cell Phone
3. Your Contact Address.
4. Age and Occupation
5. A copy of Your International Passport

Thanks in advance and God bless you. Please, treat with utmost
confidentiality. I await your immediate response.


Regards,

John Andrew Bradford.
Manager HSBC Bank Plc,
London





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