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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: "David Smith" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2010 15:00:33 +0100
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANTS NEEDED!

Regarding to Late Mr. J.R. Troy

Dear Sir/Madam,

With all due respect, my name is Mr. David Smith. I am 52yrs old, I am the Director In charge of Wire Transfer through Key Tested Telex (K.T.T), and wire transfer bank to bank (swift system) of NATIONAL BANK FOR INDUSTRIES, LOME TOGO. My department is in charge of all the Foreign Remittance and operational software that is to be undertaken by our bank. On a routine inspection I discovered a dormant domiciliary account with a BAL. of US$4.5 (Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand dollars) belonging to late Mr. J.R. Troy, from your country.

On further discreet investigation, I also discovered that the account holder and his family all lost their lives in fatal car accident along Ecowas Highway in Lome Togo in 2009.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for some time now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased, so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$4,500,000.00 dollars can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money. I have all the necessary legal information / Documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. And these I must do to make sure that this fund is not wasted or end up in the wrong hands.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I am waiting your urgent reply. Please you can reach me through my private email address as indicated. And also be in mind that this transaction should be kept secret and confidential.

Thanks for understanding, waiting to hear from you urgently for more updates.

Yours faithfully,
David Smith

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