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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: Albert Oteku <otekualbert@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:36:43 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: BUSINESS PROPOSAL


Dear Sir/Madam,
 
 
On the 3rd day of January 2004, my client and his wife along with their
two children were among the victims of Boeing 737 Egyptian Airliner that
crashed into the Red Sea. You can read more about the crash by visiting
this website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3365769.stm
 
However,my name is Albert Oteku, a Lawyer based in United Kingdom. I
wish to solicit for your assistance to repatriate a funds and property
that was left behind by my late client before it will be declared
unserviceable by the bank where the huge deposit is lodged.
 
Please note that the bank where the deceased had an account valued at
about 14.7 million pounds has issued me a notice to provide the Next of
kin, or have the account confiscated. I seek your consent to present you
as the Next of kin to my late client since you have the same last name
so that the proceeds of this account valued at 14.7 million pounds can
be paid to you, as my clients Next of Kin, and then we can share the
amount on a mutual agreed percentage. All legal documents to back you up
in claim as the deceased Next of Kin, will be provided.
 
All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal
through.Please forward the below information as soon as you read this
email:
A.Your full name.
 
B.Private telephone numbers.
 
C.Your postal/residential address.
 
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 to enable us discuss further about this transaction as soon as
you receive this email.
 
Yours Faithfully,
Albert Oteku

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