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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: "ROSS WELLS" <genesend1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: <rosswellss1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:27:26 +0100
Subject: ATTN; DID YOU AUTHROIZE BARBARA KLEIHANS? GIVE THIS A SPEEDY RESPONSE.

YOUR KIND ATTENTION;
 
 
DID YOU AUTHROIZE BARBARA KLEIHANS? GIVE THIS A SPEEDY RESPONSE.
 
 
RE: YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $15.5MILLION THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED TO YOU VIA THE FOREIGN REMMITANCE DEPARTMENT OF OUR BANK. MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING TO BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENT BY YOU.
 
 
HERE ARE HER INFORMATIONS: NAME: BARBARA KLEIHANS BANK NAME: ATLANTIC BANK OF NEWYORK. ACCOUNT NUMBER: 089714001101.
PLEASE, DO CONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT OUR BANK WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WRONGFUL PAYMENT OR UNLAWFUL DIVERTION OF YOUR OVERDUE FUND INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT.
 
 
THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR, EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND HAS APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, FOREIGN REMITTANCE / OPERATIONS, TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN OWED PROJECT/INHERITANCE FUND THOUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESERVE ACCOUNT
HERE IN THE CUSTODY OF THIS BANK.
 
 
HOWEVER,WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID MRS.BARBARA KLEIHANS IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY. IF SHE IS NOT YOUR REPRSENTATIVE OR SENT BY YOU, THEN YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT THIS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY RECONFIRMING TO US THE FOLLING DETAILS FOR US TO CROSS CHECK AND PROCESS YOUR PAYMENT.
 
 
1. FULL NAMES;-----------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
2. RESIDENT CONTACT ADDRESS;---------------------------------------
 
 
 
3. DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER OR CELL NUMBER;-------------------------
 
 
 
4. AGE AND OCCUPATION ;--------------------------------------------
 
5; COPY OF YOUR IDENTITY IF POSSIBLE;------------------------------
 
 
THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING.
 
 
 
BEST REGARDS,
 
 
ROSS WELLS
DIRECTOR FOREIGN OPERATIONS
 

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