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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <awilliams1@o2.pl>
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:32:14 -0800
Subject: Attn !!!

Dear Friend,

I wish to intimate you with a request that would be of immense benefit to
you and me. Being an executor of WILL, it is possible that we may be
tempted to make fortune out of our client situation, when we cannot help
it,or left with no better option.

The issue I am presenting to you is about my client who WILLED a fortune
to his next-of-kin. It was most unfortunate that he and his next-of-kin
died on the same day plane crash (Flight AF4590) which crashed on
July 31st 2000 killing all 109 people on board..Engineer Christian Eich,
a German who Ran carmaker BMW's .

I am now faced with confusion of who to pass the fortune to.
According to the English law, the fortune is supposed to be bequeathed to
the government. However,i dont belong to that school of thought which
proposes that the fortune of unlucky people be given to the government.

I seek your assistance to act as the beneficiary of the inheritance, and
lay claim to the legacy(£3.5million pounds sterling),which this my
unfortunate client bequeathed to his next-of-kin. For now, It is only
known to me, as my client has great confident in me.

Everything will be left between you and I. The share would be 40% for you
and 60% for me.All I have to do is to amend the WILL stating you as the
beneficiary to the £3.5million pounds sterling.

I prefer not to divulge my full identity so as not to risk being debarred.
The English Bar considers it a breach of the oath of the English Bar Council. I need not
emphasize to you that the sensitivity of this issue need not be toyed with
by neglecting its confidentiality.

At this point I want to assure you that your true consent, full
cooperation and confidentiality are all that are required for us to take
full advantage of this great opportunity.

This is an opportunity that people rarely have. You can reach via email on
awilliams1@go2.pl

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours truly,
Barr. Anthony Williams

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