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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: "Barrister COLEMAN BRIGGS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <colemanbriggs@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:13:00 -0700
Subject: HELLO

With due respect,

I am Barrister COLEMAN BRIGGS a solicitor at law base in the United Kingdom. I am the Personal Attorney to a foreign national who lived in the United Kingdom for twenty-two years, and whom herein after shall be referred to as my client who made numbered time Fixed Deposit, valued at $300,500,000.00 (Three Hundred Million, five hundred Thousand United States Dollars),for twelve (12) calendar months in one of the prime bank in the United Kingdom. In May 2008.My client, was involved in a fatal car accident and all occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost there lives, my client was one of them.

In accordance with the United Kingdom banking Law, at the expiration of (2) two years, the money will be reverted to the Government Treasury if there is no viable claim. This will result in the money entering the Government treasury system and the fund will be out of my hands and out of the bank division.

My proposal; I am prepared to place you in a position to act as next of kin as the closest surviving relative of the deceased. I will simply nominate you as the next of kin and have them release the deposit to you and share the proceeds. The sharing ratio will be 50% for me, 50% for you.

Presenting you as a relative with the right to claim the deposit as a next of kin will mask my involvement and participation in diverting the deposit for personal use. You will get all the documents needed to effect this claim immediately you notify me of your acceptance to claim this deposit for our mutual benefit.

All legal documents to back up your claim as the deceased Next of Kin, will be provided by me to you as I shall be expected to process a Letter of Administration from the British Probate High Court to the bank which will authorize you as the rightful beneficiary to this claim. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal through.

I guarantee that this deal will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the laws of our both countries. Please get in touch with me, with your personal details as stated below to enable me commence the legal documentation of your WILL (Letter of Administration) at the probate High Court here in the UK on your behalf.

1. Your full name and address
2. Your private telephone number for communication
3. Your age, occupation and position in your office
4. Your scan passport or driver's license for identification

Please if you are not interested delete this email and do not hurt me because I am putting my career and the life of my family at stake with this venture. Although nothing ventured is nothing gained, as it is said, the taste of the pudding is in the eating, do give this proposal SERIOUS AND POSITIVE CONSIDERATION.

Your earliest response to this letter will be highly appreciated.

Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a wife and children. I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to what the consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence.

I look forward to your urgent reply.

Best regards,

Barrister COLEMAN BRIGGS (Sectional Head)
Probate and Bequest Division For: HUSBOND PHILLIP
SOMMER & PARTNERS.

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