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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: "Nicoll Christopher John" <Christopher@Mail.com>
Reply-To: nicollchristopherjohn1299@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:51:43 +0800
Subject: ENQUIRY

Good Day To You,

Though i have not considered this medium to be the best manner to have approached you
on this issue being that the Internet has been greatly abused over the recent years and
is very unsecured for in formations of vital importance. I have decided to take the
chance seeing that no other means could have been faster and more efficient than the E-
mail.

I am Nicoll Christopher John, Staff of Ulster Bank (London).I am contacting you
concerning a deceased customer and an investment he placed under our banks management
four years ago to the tune of Fifty million united states dollars($50,000,000,00).I
would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and
respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail.I have
been incharge of this department for six years and to best of my knowledge,i have
discharged my duty with equity.

In the process of review of the financial report by my department, I discovered that
both of you have a similar last name, hence I contacted you so that I can give you
further briefing on my intention and how to disburse the funds and estate he left
behind.

My proposal; you share the same surname With our late client; I am prepared to place
you in a position to instruct The security Firm to release the deposit to you as the
closest surviving relation.Upon receipt of the deposit,I am prepared to share the money
with you in half. That is:I will simply nominate you as the next of kin and have them
release the deposit to you. We share then proceeds 50/50.

I ask that you do not destroy my chance, if you will not work with me let me know and
let me move on with my life but do not destroy me. I am a family man and this is an
opportunity to provide them with new opportunities. There is a reward for this project
and it is a task well worth undertaking.

I will most welcome your prompt response via this
Email:(nicollchristopherjohn127@yahoo.com.hk) as that would enable us to start
something immediately.

Sincerely,

Nicoll Christopher John

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