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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: "Mr. Anthony Lewis" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <anttonylws@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 17:44:03 -0800
Subject: Get back to me for explanations

Good day,
 
I hope you are doing great today, This is the second time am sending you this letter, i got your email contact durung internet directory research and decided to contact you regarding this business proposal.
 
I am Dr. Anthony Lewis, head of accounting and audit department of Credit Suisse Bank, One Cabot Square, London E14 4QJ London, here in England. I am writing you from my office regarding this business which will be of an immense benefit for both of us.
In my department, I discovered an abandoned sum of 16.5 Million GBP (Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers Late Mr. Moises Saba Masri, a Jewish mogul from Mexico that was a victim of a helicopter crash on 10th January 2010 killing him and his family members. Mr Saba was 47-years-old, also in the chopper at the time of the crash was his wife Adela Tuachi, their son Avraham (Alberto) and his daughter-in-law Judith. The pilot was also dead.
 
The choice of contacting you aroused from the geographical nature of where you live particularly due to the sensitivity of the transaction and the confidentiality herein. Now, our bank has been waiting for any of the relatives to come up for the claim of this fund as an inheritance but unfortunately all efforts has proved abortive. I personally has been unsuccessful in locating any of the relatives or next of kin to Mr Saba Masri. I therefore, seek your consent to present you as the next of kin / beneficiary to the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at 16.5 Million GBP can be paid to you. This will be disbursed or shared in percentages of 58% to me and 42% to you.
 
I have secured all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up this claim we are about to make with the bank. All I need is to fill in your names on the documents and legalize them in the court here to prove you as the legitimate beneficiary. I will also need your honest co-operation, confidentiality and trust to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you of 100% success in this deal. Please be rest assured that this deal will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
 
If you are interested in this deal, kindly provide me the following details as we have seven working days to run this deal through:
 
1. your full names:
2. your telephone number ( office and mobile )
3. your Fax number:
4. your full contact address:
5. your age/gender:
6. your job/occupation:
7. your private/alternative email address ( very important )
8. your nationality
 
Having gone through a methodical search, I decided to contact you hoping that you will find this proposal interesting, Please on your confirmation of this message indicating your interest, I will furnish you with more information. Please contact me by Phone: +44 7024052204 or by E-mail, endeavor to let me know your decision rather than keeping me waiting.
 
Best Regards,
 
Dr. Anthony Lewis
Head of Accounting Audit Department
Credit Suisse Bank
One Cabot Square, London E14 4QJ London
PHONE: +44 7024052204

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