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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: "MR.GREEN HERMAN" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.greenherman@hotmail.co.id>
Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 17:09:55 -0700
Subject: (BUSINESS PROPOSAL)

Dear ,
   
   
It is my pleasure to establish a relationship, as well a business transaction with you, which I believed that will yield dividends in due.
Before I continue, let me introduce myself to you, I am Mr. Green Herman working with a Bank Central Asia, Indonesia.
   
   
In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of Five Million, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($5.6 MUSD) in an account that belongs to one of our late foreign customer. Hence from all indication and report, we could not trace back to his supposed next of kin of the said funds.
   
Several searches has been conducted to get in contact with any of his relatives who will stand as next of kin to the deceased customer but to no avail, thereby I decided to search for eligible citizen who will come up as the next of kin to the late customer.
   
   
So I need someone I can deal with on trust and that is why I contacted you, I want to present you as the next of kin of the deceased customer. If you accept, I would give you the guide lines and all information regarding on how we can achieve the transfer of the funds to your account as the next of kin. I have a 100% authentic means of transferring the money to you as the beneficiary.
   
My proposal is that after you receive the funds, It would be shared as follows, (1) 35% to you as commission for your co-operation and assistance in facilitating the transfer, while the remaining 65% belongs to me.
   
   
You will be free to take out your commission immediately after the money hits your country. Since my objective is to invest the money in your country, it would be appreciated if you could also help me with advices and direction on investing into profitable/lucrative ventures in your country like real estate properties and stock markets for an additional 5%.
   
As long as you will reassure me of your sincerity to received this under your care until i arrive in your country.
   
Please do consider my proposal and get back to me if you are interested, I will give you more information upon your responses to personal mailbox;greenherman4@ibibo.com
     Best Regards
  
      Mr.Green Herman

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