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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: "CHIZARAM EDWARD. ESQ" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.edwardchizaram@e-mail.ua>
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2013 05:11:29 -0800
Subject: Kindly Respond Immediately!

From The Desk of Edward Chizaram
Equity Chambers & Associate
No. 34 Liverpool Road, Apapa-Lagos.
 
 
 
Good day,
 
 
I am Barrister Edward Chizaram, Principal Attorney of {Equity Chambers & Associate} I am soliciting for your confidence in this transaction by virtue of the nature of this venture that requires confidentiality. I am not unaware of the fact that a transaction of this magnitude will first make any one apprehensive and overwhelmed, but I assure you that I contacted you specifically for good and with full assurances that everything in this venture will go well.
 
 
The project I am presenting to you is a case of my late client who willed $9.3million to his wife, herein referred to, as his next of kin. It was most unfortunate that he and his wife died on the same day in the China earthquake in 2008. I am now faced with indecision and dilema of who to pass the funds to, as both husband and wife died together.
 
 
This email might come as a surprise to you, since there was no previous communication between us. My purpose of contacting you is for you to help secure the funds left behind by my late client, to avoid it being declared as unclaimed deposit by the Financial Institution where the fund is presently deposited by my client before his death.
 
 
The Financial Institution has notified me to contact and provide an existing relative with notarized papers or the funds will be declared unclaimed and taken over by the Financial Institution's treasury. So far, my efforts to get hold of someone related to my late client has proved abortive. I am actually asking for your consent to present you to the Financial Institution as the next of kin of my late Client for the purpose of reclaiming his funds so that the proceeds of this will be released to you.
 
 
I shall provide all the notarized documents to support and authenticate the claim that you are my Client's next of kin. All I require is your honest co-operation and commitment to enable us achieve success in this transaction.
 
 
I wish to point out that I want 10% of this money to be shared among charity Organizations, while the remaining 90% would be shared equally between us. I will use my position as the client’s attorney to guarantee the successful execution of this transaction.
 
 
Upon your positive response via Alternative E-mail, I will provide you with further details that will help you understand clearly the processes we are to follow to achieve success on this transaction.
 
 
I will appreciate if you would provide me your telephone and fax numbers enhance the facilitation of this transaction.
 
 
Looking forward to a cordial Business relationship with you.
 
 
Yours truly;
 
Mr.Edward Chizaram
Legal Adviser

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