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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: "Wills John" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <willsjohnson@blumail.org>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:01:56 -0700
Subject: Mr. Wills From Bank UBS AG Switzerland

>From Bank UBS AG Switzerland
Postfach 8098 Zrich Switzerland.
Swiss Clearing Number: 230
Postal Account: 80-2-2
SWIFT: UBSW CH ZH 80A
Web site: www.ubs.com
Phone: +41-44-34 11 11
Fax: +41-44-39 91 11
Hello Good Friend
I am aware that this is an unconventional way of relaying an important message such as this. I did try without success to locate both your contact address or phone/fax number and as such, I resorted in contacting you via email. I am Wills John an investment consultant working with Bank UBS AG Zurich  presently at their offshore department. I will be happy to work this deal out with you if you have a corporate or personal Bank Account and if you are capable of keeping TOP SECRET.During one of our periodic auditing I discovered a dormant accounts with holding balances of US$158,000.000.00 {One Hundred And fifty eight million United State Dollars only}
Sometimes a person will open a bank account, deposit money, and then disappear into the tin air. Banks are not always able to find out what has become of these silent customers, or to know whether they should follow up on requests from people who claim to be heirs to the accounts. The main problem is that the customer resides abroad and, due to bank secrecy, the bank cannot publish notices in the international press to locate the depositories. This has led the majority of Swiss banks to refrain from opening small-deposit accounts for foreign customers; for fear that they will forget that the account exists.
It has happened in the past, however, that customers pass away. please take a moment of your very busy schedules to read about Swiss dormant accounts:
website; www.crt-ii.org/2001_list/publication_list1_A.phtm
If you know that you are capable to handle large or small amount on trust and can keep secret and ready to take 40% of any amount I transfer to your account from the dormant accounts and I will take 60%, then get back to me immediately with your details by return mail to my most private email willsjohnson@blumail.org
Tell me more about yourself, while I look forward to receive the above information.I want to re-assure you that this business is risk free and you can send an empty account to receive the funds, provided that the account is capable to receive incoming funds, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breach of the law.
Send also your private mobile phone number where I can reach you now.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Warmest regards,
Mr. Wills John
 

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