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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: "Fola Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fmfm872@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 04:23:04 -0700
Subject: GOOD DAY...

FOLA WILLIAMS & ASSOCIATES
137 MARYLAND ROAD,
LAGOS,NIGERIA.
EMAIL:(fmfm872@gmail.com)

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Barrister FOLA WILLIAMS, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to Mr. Douglas Anthony, a national of your country who used
to work with shell development company in Nigeria and as well a one time secret agent in transferring of money overseas for the Late head
of state of Nigeria {Late Gen.SANI ABACHA}.Before his death On the 21st of April 2006 [my client,his wife and their three children were
involved in a car accident along sagbama express road in which all occupants of the motor died}.My client {Douglas} deposited the sum of $38.5 Million in an account
with a Bank here in Nigeria for himself, with the hope of transferring it to his country as soon as he is on leave. Since his death I have
made several enquiries about my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to check over the Internet on any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have
contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my client before the money get confiscated or declared unserviceable by
the Bank where these Money is Deposited.

Particularly the bank where the deceased Deposited the $38.5 Million dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin within the
next Fourteen official working days.Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2
years now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the Money valued at $38.5 Million dollars can be
claimed by you and then you and I can share the money.50% to me and 50% to you. I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to
back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this
will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please get in touch with me by my private email address(fmfm872@gmail.com),with the following informations; your full names
and address, your occupation, your date of birth and your phone and fax numbers

Thank you and God bless.

Barrister FOLA WILLIAMS Esq

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