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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: "Prince Tony William" <prince_tony100@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: prince_tony2000@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 10:21:51 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: Awaiting Your Quick Response

Dear Friend,

This letter might surprise you because we have met neither in person nor
by correspondence, but I believe that it takes just one day to meet or
know someone either physically or through correspondence.

I got your contact through my personal search, you were revealed as being
quite astute in private Entrepreneurship, one has no doubt in your ability
to handle a financial business transaction.

However, I am the first son of His Royal Majesty Pepple Y. William, the
traditional ruler of Bonny province in the Oil rich area of Rivers state
in Nigeria. I am making this contact to you in respect of USD45,
000,000.00 (Forty Five Million United States Dollars), which I inherited
from my late father.

As You may be aware that my country is the third largest oil producing
country in the whole world. My father is the ruler of the richest
community in Nigeria. My community produce 5.8% of the total annual Oil
production in Nigeria and 0.5% of the Dollar value of each barrel is paid
to my father as royalty by the Federal Government to our community. In his
position as the royal head and chairman of the Bonny Oil trust fund.

Foreigners often refer to his kingdom as the Gas/Oil Land. This is because
the island floats atop one of the largest gas and oil deposits anywhere in
the world. This explains is why the island is home to several
Multinational oil companies, such as Shell, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and one
of Nigeria's most expensive ventures in recent time, Nigeria Liquefied
Natural Gas Company (NLNG), these companies also offers my father a lot of
gratifications as the royal father of the kingdom where they operate.

Some of this money was accumulated from royalties paid to my father as
compensation by the Oil firms located in our area, for hampering
Agriculture which is our main source of livelihood. Unfortunately my
father died from protracted diabetes. Before his death secretely he willed
the sum of USD45, 000,000.00 (Forty Five Million United States Dollars)
and he safely deposited this money in cash into a consignment and kept it
in the custody of a security company without the security company knowing
the content. I have the certificate of Deposit and any information you
wish to have as a proof to show for it.

My problem actually started when my stepmother said that the next king
must be her son instead of me as the heir apparent to the throne. I am the
first son of my father but my stepmother has used her position and
influence to convince some members of the council of elders that my
biological mother was not properly married to my father because my mother
is not living in the palace due to some problems within the family before
the death of my father.

This action by my step mother is just a bid to deny me of my right, which
I challenged. In the process there was confusion that divided the communi
ty into two factions. This led to a revolution by the youths and women who
are solidly behind me. Consequently, my international passport was seized
just to stop me from traveling outside the country.

Now I need help. I need someone who will claim the fund my father
deposited with the financial security company and deposit it in his/her
personal account pending when I will be free again. Please, help me to
salvage the only hope of survival that I now have of which my step mother
and the children do not know about this money.

I am in need of help to safe guide this money so as to settle down and
fight for my rightful throne. Right now, I am in hiding and I do not want
this money to stay much more in the security company because I don't want
to incur extra cost on the deposit since I don't know how long my problem
will last.

If you can help me in this my time of need, I will give you 50% of the
total sum, while 50% will be kept for me. I look forward to your helping
me.


Yours sincerely,
Prince Tony William.


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