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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: "DON HELENS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hellendons1000@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2012 10:38:21 -0700
Subject: DON HELENS/INHERITANCE

FROM: DON HELENS (ESQ)
CARRETERA DE MADRID KM 241'5 N-10
50012 ZARAGOZA MADRID, SPAIN
Email:hellendons1000@live.com    
 
 
GOOD DAY,
 
I APOLOGIZE FOR SENDING THIS MAIL TO YOU BUT THIS IS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THIS MATTER WITH YOU.
 
MY NAME IS DON HELENS, SOLICITOR AND FINANCIAL CONSULTANT TO THE LATE MR. RICHARD WEIR A PROPERTY MAGNATE AND BUILDING CONTRACTOR BASED HERE IN MADRID-SPAIN.
 
ON 2004, MY CLIENT DIED IN A TRAIN BOMB BLAST HERE IN MADRID, SPAIN ((HALLMARK OF AL-QAEDA) FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CRASH AND PEOPLE INVOLVED, VISIT THIS
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/europe/2004/madrid_train_attacks/default.stm
 
Http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9c00e4dc1139f937a35757c0a9629c8b63
 
MY CLIENT WAS A SUCCESSFUL AND AN ACCOMPLISHED FAMILY MAN WHO MADE ENOUGH FORTUNE BEFORE HIS UNTIMELY DEATH. HE LEFT BEHIND A LARGE DEPOSIT IN HIS INVESTMENT ACCOUNT WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION HERE.
 
UPON HIS DEATH, THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION CONTACTED ME AS HIS ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEXT OF KIN OR INHERITOR SINCE HIS FAMILY DIED WITH HIM IN THE CRASH LEAVING A VACCUM TO BE FILLED.
 
MEANWHILE, I HAVE MADE SEVERAL INQUIRES ON MY OWN TO LOCATE HIS NEXT OF KIN BUT ALL HAS PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL. I EVEN CONTACTED MANY EMBASSIES TO SEE IF I CAN LOCATE ANY OF HIS RELATIVES BUT ALL MY EFFORT WAS ABORTIVE.
 
TWO WEEKS AGO, THE BANK ADOPTED A RESOLUTION AND I WAS MANDATED TO PROVIDE HIS NEXT OF KIN OR INHERITOR WITHIN 21 BANKING DAYS OR FORFEIT THE MONEY TO THE BANK AS ABANDONED/UNCLAIMED FUND DECREE OF 1936 ALLOWED THE BANK TO CONFISCATE THE FUND AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE PERIOD GIVEN TO ME.
 
I AM CONVINCED THAT IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT I AM ABLE TO LOCATE YOU. HENCE MY LETTER TO YOU, BELIEVING THAT YOU ARE RELIABLE TO BE PRESENTED TO THE BANK AS THE INHERITOR TO THE FUND. I THEREFORE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU WITH THESE FACTS BEFORE ME BECAUSE OF THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION PRESENTLY.
 
BY VIRTUE OF MY CLOSENESS TO THE DECEASED AND HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY, I AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF MY CLIENT FINANCIAL STAND. TO THIS EFFECT, I NOW SEEK YOUR CONSENT TO PRESENT YOU TO THE BANK AS THE INHERITOR SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS DEPOSIT VALUED AT TWENTY FIVE MILLION U.S DOLLARS (US$25, 000, 000.00) WILL BE PAID TO YOU AND THEN YOU AND I WILL SHARE THE MONEY. 50% TO ME, 30% TO YOU WHILE 10% WHILE BE GIVEN TO ANY ORPHANAGE HOME AND 10% WILL BE MAPPED OUT TO PAY BACK ALL EXPENSES WE MAY INCURRED ON THE PROCESS OF THIS TRANSACTION.
 
I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW. TRUST ME AS HIS FINANCIAL CONSULTANT THAT THIS IS A RISK FREE TRANSACTION. IMMEDIATELY YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME VIA EMAIL WITH THE BELOW DETAILS THAT WILL BE USED FOR DOCUMENTATION AND PROCESSING OF THE PAYMENT IN YOUR FAVOR:
 
YOUR FULL NAME:
YOUR FULL ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE, FAX AND CELL NUMBERS:
PRIVATE EMAIL:
AGE:
OCCUPATION:
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
SEX:
MARITAL STATUS:
 
YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED
 
YOURS SINCERELY,
 
DON HELENS(ESQ)
Reply email: hellendons1000@live.com

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