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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: Mark Welling <wellingmark082@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: Mark Welling <mwelling7@live.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2010 04:49:59 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Awaiting response

From: Mark Welling (Welling & Associates, Fulham, London SW6 1RP, United Kingdom).

Hello,

I am Mark Welling, an attorney here in the United Kingdom. I am writing following an opportunity in my office that will be of immense benefit to both of us.
I was the legal counsel to the late Mr. Rudolf Haeussler, a German who unfortunately lost his life in the 24 November 2001 Crossair aircraft crash of the 97-seat Jumbolino Avero RJ-100 aircraft en route from Berlin, Germany to Zurich, Switzerland, killing also his wife and only daughter. The aircraft crashed in poor weather conditions as it approached Zurich airport.

Before his death, I assisted him in depositing a consignment containing the sum of US$19.1M (Nineteen Million One Hundred Thousand US Dollars) with a financial institution in one of the major cities here in Europe.

Since I got information about his death, I have been expecting his next of kin or relatives to come over and claim his money. Unfortunately I learnt that his supposed next of kin being his only daughter died along with him in the plane crash leaving noone with the knowledge of this fund . It is therefore upon this discovery that I now decided to do business with you and release the money to you as the next of kin or beneficiary of the funds for safe keeping and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it. I would need you as a Foreigner acting as the next of kin and sole benefactor to the
inheritance of late Mr. Rudolf Haeussler to claim the funds for us to share.


There are no risks whatsoever involved in this transaction as everything will be done legally and within the purview of the Law.All neccessary documents will be duly applied for and obtained. Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue. Once the funds have been transferred, we shall share in the ratio of 60% for me, 35% for you and 5% for any expenses incurred during the course of this operation. Should you be interested, please send me your telephone and fax numbers for easy communication.

In the event you are not interested, I sincerely ask that you disregard this email and tell no one about it. I am very careful not to truncate my legal career should you mention this to someone else. I hope you can be trusted in this regard.

Please note that all necessary arrangement for the smooth release of these funds to you have been finalised. We will discuss more in details when I receive your response.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Best regards,
Mark Welling esq.




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