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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: "Nil Pryce" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <prycenil1@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:59:32 +0100
Subject: Today's Update PUIWELWYML

M dear,

I am contacting you in regards to a business transfer of a huge sum of money from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. I decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction.

I discovered an abandant sum of £11.5M(Eleven Million Five Hundred thousand British Pounds) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family. Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heritier. I cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines. Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by me for the funds (Eleven Million Five Hundred thousand British Pounds) to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's next of kin.It may interest you to note that I have secured from the probate an order of madamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of my mutual business endeavour by urnishing me with the following;
1. Your Full Names and Address.
2. Direct Telephone

These requirements will enable me file a letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can be made. I shall be compensating you with 40 percent to finalize this project, while 10 percent for expenses, Your share stays with you while the rest shall be for me for investment purposes.
If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust I have bestowed in you, I await your urgent email.Please reply in this my alternative email address only (prycenil1@yahoo.com.hk) for confidential reasons.

Regards,

Your;s faithfully

Nil Pryce
nilpryce1@yahoo.com.hk

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