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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Ken Cole" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drkencole1965@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2011 08:54:07 -0400
Subject: Your prompt response shall be most appreciated

Dear friend, I am Barrister Ken Cole, a partner to Stephen Collins solicitors and advocate. I am the principle attorney to a late client of mine, who herein after shall be referred to as my client, Who lived here in London, he spent all his life herein London but died of cardiac arrest after hearing of the death of his wife and only daughter at world trade centre September 11th 2001 in America. I personally contacted you because you bear the same last name with him, since I have made several inquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives but this proved unsuccessful. Presently, the Bank where the deceased (my client) had a huge Deposit issued me a notice to provide the next-of-kin to my client to receive its benefit or have the Funds confiscated, so I have contacted you to assist me in repatriating this benefit left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Bank. After all these several unsuccessful attempts, since it is not compulsory that the next-of-kin must be a blood relation to the deceased, hence I contacted you because you are from the same country with my late client, Be informed that a Next-of-kin can be anybody, friends or organization. To this effect, I now seek your consent to present you to the Bank as the next of kin of the deceased (my Client) so that the proceeds of this Deposit can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money; 50% to me and 40% to you, while 10% should be given to any Orphanage Home because the funds belongs to a dead person. 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 with the below details immediately you acknowledge receipt of this message. If this business proposal affects your moral values, do accept my apology but if not, get back to me with the information’s stated below to enable me file in an application for the funds release from the bank where it was deposited. Full Name: Full Address: Telephone Number: Fax Number: Mobile Number: Age: Occupation: Sex: Marital Status: Your prompt response shall be most appreciated. Yours faithfully, Ken Cole (Esq.)

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