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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: "Andrew Howell" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <andrewhowell1@megamail.pt>
Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:38:41 -0100
Subject: Reply Please


Greetings ,


I am Mr. Andrew Howell, I work with a Bank here in UK, I obtained your particulars from an Internet address listing, and hence I am contacting you in confidence on this very urgent and confidential proposition that will be of mutual benefit to us all and our children.
In the cause of discharging my duties as a banker, I have discovered an account belonging to a Foreigner Mr Kunzel Bauer an Oil Consultant/Contractor here in my Country, who operated a domiciliary Account, valued at Twenty Five Million United States dollar in my branch, without presenting a usual information on his Next of Kin beneficiary, we accepted this due to the fact that Banks are conservative and will always honor a customer's wishes, especially high net worth customers.



For about four (4) years now, we have been looking forward to any vital information on the depositor, but it has been confirmed that the original depositor (Mr Kunzel Bauer ) has died in Australia, on making this discovery my Bank has been expecting the relative or next of kin of the original depositor to come up for the claim of this funds, but since no one has turned up for the claim and funds is still in the Dormant Account Portfolio.


I shall meet with you thus at the completion of the transaction for my own percentage as we will discuss at the indication of your interest to work with me. This is a fair deal without any risk attached and will be legally transacted. Thus, for your indulgence and support, I propose an offer of 25% of the total amount to be your compensation and commission after the transfer has been successfully concluded.
I wait for your reply with your phone number.

Thanks and God bless.
Regards,
Andrew Howell .

Anti-fraud resources: