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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: "Ronald Keys." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ronaldb.keys@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2012 08:24:36 -0700
Subject: Read and Respond to this Message !!!!

Dr. Ronald Barry Key

4047 Peters Rd ,Plantation,

FL 33317-4537 - U.S.A






Sir/Madam



I am Dr. Ronald Barry Keys, a Principal Manager at TD BANK. I got your email contact from South African online business journal. I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of Mr. Kruger Van Rensburg and investment placed under our banks management 8 years ago. I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail. I contact you independently and no one is informed of this communication. In 2004, the subject matter; Mr. Kruger Van Rensburg came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of 9.5 Million United States Dollars, which he wished to have us invest on his behalf.



Based on my advice, we spun the money around various opportunities and made attractive margins for our first years of operation, the accrued profit and interest stood at this point at over 15 Million USD. In mid-2008, he instructed that the principal sum (9.50M) be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Venezuela and Canada . We got in touch with Bank of America (BOA) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cash available to Mr.Kruger Van Rensburg. However Bank of America (BOA) got in touch with us late last year that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that Mr.Kruger Van Rensburg was involved in an accident in Mainland Venezuela , which means he died intestate. He has no next of kin and the reason I am writing you is because you are from same nationality.



What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you will be made the beneficiary of these funds and the bank will contact you informing you that money has been willed to you, on verification of the necessary documentation which I will provide to you, Bank of America (BOA) will instruct the payment to your nominated account. I know this might be a bit heavy for you but please trust me on this. For all your troubles I propose that we split the money in half. In the banking circle this happens every time. Nobody is getting hurt; this is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the KEY to these funds, and as a U.S Citizen we see so much cash and funds being re-assigned daily.



Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a wife and children. I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as I know the consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this. Please get back to me immediately.



I await your response.



Yours faithfully,



Dr. Ronald Barry Keys.




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