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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: "Dr.Christopher Johnson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dr.christopherjohnson@live.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:42:59 -0700
Subject: Regards from Dr.Christopher Johnson

Dear Sir/ Madam,
 
How are you today? I hope fine, I know this Email will come to you as a big surprise, the truth is i got your Email contact from an ADVERT Magazine on the Internet and decided to contact you regarding this Business Proposal, the reason why i contacted you was simply because i really wanted to make sure am dealing with a real human being and not someone imaginary, that was why i went to a secured ADVERTISEMENT site.
 
MY PROPOSAL:
 
I am Dr.Christopher Johnson from Harlesden  North West London, here in England. I work for Credit Suisse Bank London. I am writing you from my office which will be of a great immense benefit for both of us. In my department, being the assistant manager (Greater London region), I discovered an abandoned sum of GBP 16.5 Million (Sixteen Million Five hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Moises Saba, a Jew from Mexico that was a victim of a helicopter crash early this year, killing him and family members. Saba was 46-years-old. Also in the chopper at the time of the crash was his wife, their son Avraham (Albert) and his daughter-in-law. The pilot was also dead.
 
The choice of contacting you is aroused from the geographical nature Of where you live, particularly due to the sensitivity of the transaction and the confidentiality herein, Now our bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come-up for the claim but nobody has done that, I personally has been unsuccessful in locating the relatives, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of kin /Will Beneficiary to the deceased so that the proceeds of This account valued at 16.5 Million GBP can be paid to you.
 
This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, 60% to me and 40% to you, I have secured all necessary legal documents that we can used to back up this claim we are making. All I need is to fill in Your names to the documents and legalized it in the court here to prove You as the legitimate beneficiary, All I need now is your honest Co-operation, Confidentiality and Trust to enable us see this Transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
 
Please, provide me the following: as we have 5 days to run it through, This is very, very URGENT PLEASE.
 
1. Full Name:
2. Your Telephone Number:
3. Your Contact Address:
4. Age/Sex:
5. Core job/Occupation:
6. Your Private Email address
 
Having gone through a methodical search, I decided to contact you Hoping that you will find this proposal interesting, Please on your Confirmation of this message is indicating your interest will furnish you with more information. Please contact me by Email: dr.christopherjohnson@live.com
 
Endeavor to let me know your decision rather than keeping me waiting.
 
Best Regards,
 
Dr.Christopher Johnson

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