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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: "Edwards" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <allen.edwards_01@myself.com>
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 23:55:47 -0700
Subject: Personal Please(Not Junk)

From Allen Edwards
Imperial Finance House Limited
United-Kingdom

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Allen Edwards, the Auditor General, Imperial Finance House
Limited United-Kingdom. In the course of my auditing, I discovered a floating fund in an account, which was opened in 1990 belonging to a dead foreigner
{Name withheld} who died in 1999. Every effort made to track any member of
his family or next of kin has since failed; hence I got in contact with
you to stand as his next of kin since you bear the same last name with
him. He died leaving no heir or a will.

My intention is to transfer this sum of US$15.5Million Dollars in the
aforementioned account to a safe account overseas. I am therefore proposing that you quietly partner with me and provide an account or set up a new one that will serve the purpose of receiving this fund.

For your assistance in this venture, I am ready to part with a good
percentage of the entire funds. After going through the deceased person's records and files, I discovered that:

(1) No one has operated this account since 1999
(2) He died without an heir or WILL; hence the money has been floating.
(3) No other person knows about this account and there was no known
beneficiary.


If I do not remit this money urgently, it would be forfeited and
subsequently converted to company's funds, which will benefit only the directors of my firm. This money can be approved to you legally as with all the necessary documentary approvals in your name.


However, you would be required to show some proof of claim, which I
will provide you with and also guide you on how to make your applications.
Please reply so that I can send you detailed information on the
modalities of my proposition.

I completely trust you to keep this proposition absolutely
confidential, if you are interested to work with me kindly forward your First and Last Name, telephone and fax numbers so I can reach you easily. I look forward to your prompt response.


Best Regards,
Mr. Allen Edwards.
Auditor General
Imperial Finance House Ltd
United-Kingdom

Anti-fraud resources: