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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: Patrick Obaid <patrick_obaid@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: Patrick Obaid <patrick.obaid@live.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2011 02:24:24 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: From Patrick Obaid Alpha Bank Limited...




 
Hello Dear,




Pardon me for not having the pleasure of knowing your mind set before making you this offer as it is utterly confidential and genuine by virtue of its nature.


I am Mr. Patrick Obaid Jnr. from Harlsden, North West London, here in England. I work with Alpha Bank Limited London. With due respect and regard, I am writing you from my office that will be of immense benefit to both of us. In my department, being the Private Banking Manager (Greater London Regional Office), I discovered an abandoned sum of GBP 10.2M (Ten Million Two Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late MR. FRETT H. NIELSON an importer of textiles and automobiles, who unfortunately lost his life in a fatal accident with his entire family on March 2009 and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless. Again, I made further investigation and discovered that MR. FRETT H. NIELSON did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paper work in my Bank.


Understand that the choice of contacting you is aroused from the geographical nature of where you live, particularly due to the sensitivity of this 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 have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for two years now, and I hereby seek your consent to present you as the next of kin/Beneficiary to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at GBP 10.2M can be paid to you.


This will be disbursed or shared in these percentages, 45% for me and 45% for you while 5% will be set aside for any expenses that may arise in the process of transferring this fund into your chosen/nominated bank account you wish to receive it and 5% to the motherless and the needy in your country. I have secured all necessary legal document(s) that can be used to back up this claim we are about to do. All I need is to fill in your names to the document(s) and legalize it in the Crown Court here to prove you as the legitimate beneficiary.


All I require 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 do not have much time to run it through. This is very URGENT PLEASE.


1. Full Name
2. Your Telephone Number
3. Your Contact Address.


I 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 and indicating your interest, I will furnish you with more information. Endeavor to let me know your decision rather than keep me waiting.





Yours Sincerely,
Mr. Patrick Obaid Jnr.

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