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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: Mark Fowler <mfwlr891@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:10:59 +0200
Subject: Un-claimed funds.

Dear Friend,

My name is Mark Fowler I'm head of auditing department in my bank . I would
take a step of faith to tell you this, a British citizen named Lorenzo D.
Miller was previously a consultant with the Canadian Department of
Transportation and Works.
In November 2008 he made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit, valued at $5
,800,000.00CAD (Five Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Canadian dollars), for
twelve (12) calendar months in my Bank branch. Upon maturity, we sent a
routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a
month, we sent a reminder and then finally discovered from his contract
employers that Lorenzo D. Miller died from an automobile accident. On
further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL and
also he did not declare a next of kin in his official documents, including
his Bank Deposit paper work.

This sum of $5,800,000.00CAD is still in the Bank and the interest is being
rolled over with the principal sum at the end
of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. In accordance with
the Canadian Federal Law, at the expiration of 4 (four) years, the money
will revert to the ownership of the State, if nobody applies to claim the
fund Moreover, I have decided to aplore you to present you with all the
necessary paper work, to back you up as the bonafide Next Of Kin to the
deceased. I also intend putting the funds for investment purposes in the
United Kingdom where I would settle down with my family to start a new life.


In your next mail, please kindly advise me on the kind of profitable
investment I can use this money for in your country. I would want you to get
back to me accordingly. So i can send you some of the document and the
statement of account for you perusal. Confirm the receipt of this mail.

Mark Fowler.



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