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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 Durée kong" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dureekonggg@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2014 09:20:35 +0100
Subject: Good day

From: Mr Durée kong
Santander Bank, UK
Direct Phone :+447035927142
 
Dear: Friend,
 
I am Mr Durée kong, the Auditor General, Santander Bank, UK. In the
course of my auditing, I discovered a floating fund in an account,
which was opened in 1990 at Abbey National Bank before it was bought
over by Santander Group of which I am the auditor, belonging to a dead
foreigner who died in 1999. Every effort made to track any member of
his family or next of kin has since failed; hence I got in contact
with you to stand as his next of kin since you bear the same last
name. He died leaving no heir or a will.
 
My intention is to transfer this sum of $5.5M in the aforementioned
account to a safe account overseas. I am therefore proposing that you
quietly partner with me and provide an account or set up a new one
that will serve the purpose of receiving this fund. For your
assistance in this venture, I am ready to part with a good percentage
of the entire funds. We will share the funds in the proportion of 40%
for you, 40% for me and 20% donated to Charitable Organizations. After
going through the deceased person's records and files, I discovered
that:
 
(1) No one has operated this account since 1999
(2) He died without an heir; hence the money has been floating.
(3) No other person knows about this account and there was no known beneficiary.
 
If I do not remit this money urgently, it would be forfeited and
subsequently converted to company's funds, which will benefit only the
directors of my firm. This money can be approved to you legally as
with all the necessary documentary approvals in your name. However,
you would be required to show some proof of claim, which I will
provide you with and also guide you on how to make your applications.
 
Please do give me a reply so that I can send you detailed information
on the modalities of my proposition. I completely trust you to keep
this proposition absolutely confidential.
I look forward to your prompt response.
 
Best Regards,
Mr Durée kong
Auditor General,
Santander Bank
Direct Phone :+447035927142

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