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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: "Walsh & Co Auditors UK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info@walshauditors.uk.pn>
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:25:48 +0530
Subject: Work with me

Hello.

I have contacted you because I have carried out research into a dormant account
Of a deceased client at the financial institute where I presently audit its accounts,
here in the United Kingdom and the client has no heirs.

The account has a significant amount of money in it. An account is judged to be dormant if there has been no activity in it, or contact with the client, for 15 years.
Normally, account holders lose contact due to death without leaving a will and there's no known heir to inherit.
The treasury department receives the unclaimed money unless, a previously unknown distant relative, comes and puts a claim on it; which is usually within a limited time frame.

The United Kingdom’s Treasury Department receives over $20bn every year from unclaimed estates; forgotten funds; abandoned shares and dormant accounts and some of it could be ours if we can work together as I can provide all
relevant documents and information. We could present you as the next of kin to deceased, as laid out in Section 46 of the Administration of Estates Act of 1925 (with subsequent amendments) if you agree to work with me.

I will need to enter into an agreement with you, which will cover the disbursement aspect of funds. Furthermore, You will have to sign a consent form that gives the lawyer power of attorney to represent you at the probate office
(For the Procurement of the Grant of Probate). The amount in question currently stands at (USD12, 800,000.00) Twelve million, eight hundred thousand
United States dollar only.

If you are interested in partaking in this, kindly get back to me for a detailed explanation on how you can benefit from this.

Sincerely,
Walsh Holmes
Walsh & Co Auditors UK.
info@walshauditors.uk.pn
London Road, Croydon

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