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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: "Mike Foxx" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mikefoxx1350@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2014 17:02:03 +0400
Subject: Dear Friend

The details.
I am Real Estate | Probate Lawyer MikeFoxx of Tanfield Chambers. The issue I am presenting to you is a case of my client Denny Colin (M) (an Irish and also Australia National by birth) a consultant/contractor with Gulf Maritime General Trading & contracting Company) who WILLED a fortune to his next-of-kin. It was most unfortunate that he and his next-of-kin Denny Sawitree (F)died on the same day in the One-Two-Go Orient-Thai Airlines flight OG269 Phuket Airport plane crash of Monday,17th September 2007 from Bangkok to Phuket, a Thai island resort.
For more information see full Passenger: http://thailandmusings.thaivisa.com/88-killed-in-phuket-plane-crash/
I am now faced with the Task of who to pass the fortune to. According to the brutish/Irish law, the fortune is supposed to be bequeathed to the Government.However, I don't belong to that school of thought which proposes that the fortune of unlucky people be given to the Government. My client made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit, valued at (7, 500,000.00) Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling for twelve (12) calendar months. Upon maturity, the bank sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.
As the legal representative, It is my legal duty to inform the bank about the sudden death of my client and to present the Next of Kin in accordance with the British Probate and Inheritance laws.This sum of 7,500,000.00 Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling is in the Bank right now and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year.No one will ever come forward to claim it.In accordance with the British Law on probate and Inheritance, at the expiration of 4 (four) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the British Government, if nobody applies as the Next of kin to Claim the fund. Consequently, I shall present you to stand as the next of kin to my Late Client so that you and I can benefit from the fruit of this old man's labor to enhance Humanitarian Organization World wide. For now, I alone know about his last will/Testament, as my client has great confident in me.
Everything will be left between you and I. The share would be 50% for you and 50% for me. All I have to Do is to amend the Last will/Testament of my late client to make you the beneficiary (next of Kin) to the claim of the Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling legally. As I am not very sure of getting your consent on the issue, I prefer not to divulge my full identity so as not to risk being disbarred. The British Bar considers it a breach of the oath.I need not emphasize to you that the sensitivity of this issue need not be toyed with by neglecting its confidentiality.Due to the risk involve and also the activities of fraudsters now rampant on the Internet, and until I am sure of your consent, full co-operation and genuine willingness to assist me for our mutual benefit, I would prefer that we maintain correspondence by email. mikefoxx1350@gmail.com
Upon acceptance, I shall send to you a copy of the probate and Inheritance return information form and the detailed Information on how this business would be successfully transacted.At this point I want to assure you that your true consent, full co-operation and confidentiality are all that are required for us to take full advantage of this great opportunity.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours truly,
Barrister Mike Foxx

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