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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: "KEITH OVERLANDER ESQ" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <keithverlander@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 03:43:45 -0000
Subject: Notification of Bequest.

PARTNER MANAGING
CLARK ASSOCIATES SOLICITORS
Notification of Bequest

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Prof Roger
Michael Needham. I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter
was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this
same email address on the WILL.
I wish to notify you that late Prof Roger Michael Needham made you a
beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Fifteen Million, One Hundred
thousand United States Dollars to you in the Condicile and last
testament to his WILL.
This may sound strange and unbelievable to you with the current upsurge
in cyber crime and the likes, but it is for real and true.
Being a widely traveled man, he must have been in contact with you in
the past or simply you were nominated to him by one of his numerous
friends abroad who wished you good.
Prof Roger Michael Needham, an engineer/Computer scientist who worked
as Director, Microsoft Research limited,Cambridge before he died on 1st
March in the year 2003 and was patron of the Royal Academy of
Engineering and also member ofvarious societies andorganisations . He was a very
dedicated Christian who loved to give out. His great philanthropy
earned him numerous awards during his life time one of which was the
Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Late Roger Michael Needham died on the 1st March in the year 2003 at
the age of 68 years, and his WILL is now ready for execution.According to
him this money is to support humanitarian/philanthropic activities and
to help the poor and the needy in our society. Please if I reach you
as I am hopeful, endeavour to get back to me as soon as possible to
enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear from you in no distant time.
Note: In your response, please provided the following
information.
Your Name ___________________________
Telephone ___________________________
Fax ___________________________
Age ___________________________

I await your prompt response
Yours in Service,
KEITH OVERLANDER ESQ.

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