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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: "Daniel Lopez" <danlopezz@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: <ddlopez010@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2014 01:25:51 -0700
Subject: From Barrister Lopez

DEAR FRIEND.  
 
I AM BARRISTER DANIEL LOPEZ ESQ, A LEGAL PRACTITIONER HERE IN LONDON AND I WISH TO SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE IN A DEAL THAT INVOLVES HUGE SUM OF MONEY. THIS DEAL BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE MUST BE UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND TOP SECRET. THOUGH I KNOW THAT A TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL MAKE ANY ONE APPREHENSIVE AND WORRIED, BUT I AM ASSURING YOU THAT THIS WILL BE DONE UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT BOTH OF US FROM ANY BRIDGE OF LAW .
 
 
LIKE I STATED ABOVE, I AM A LEGAL PRACTITIONER HERE IN LONDON AND I CAME TO KNOW YOU IN MY PRIVATE SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE BUSINESS PERSON/INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN HANDLE THIS CONFIDENTIAL DEAL WITH ME, WHICH REQUIRED MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE AND TRUST FROM BOTH SIDES. EIGHTEEN MY PROPOSITION:
I HAVE A CLIENT, WHO WORKS WITH EXXON MOBIL HERE IN LONDON , AN EXPERIENCED, INDEPENDENT, OIL AND GAS COMPANY WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF OILFIELD EXPLORATION WHO HAD A DEPOSIT OF £18M (EIGHTEEN MILLION GREAT BRITISH POUNDS STERLING) DEPOSITED IN THE BANK HERE IN LONDON . MY CLIENT, HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN A MOTOR ACCIDENT ALONG LIVERPOOL ROAD . ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE LOST THEIR LIVES.
 
DURING THE BANK AUDIT EXERCISE, THE BANK DISCOVERED MY LATE CLIENT DEPOSIT AS AN UNCLAIMED CREDIT BALANCE, HENCE ISSUED ME A NOTICE TO PROVIDE ANY RELATIVES OF MY CLIENT OTHERWISE THEY WILL HAVE THE ACCOUNT CLOSED AND THE FUND CONFISCATED. I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ENQUIRIES  TO LOCATE MY CLIENT'S EXTENDED RELATIVES, THIS PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL, I THEN DECIDED TO TRACE HIS RELATIVES OR FAMILY MEMBER OVER THE INTERNET, AND HENCE I FOUND YOU AS MY INSTINCT CONVINCES ME THAT YOU WILL BE A TRUSTWORTHY AND HONEST PERSON AND I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU TO ASSIST ME IN REPATRIATING MY LATE CLIENT DEPOSIT BEFORE IT GOT CONFISCATED OR DECLARED UNSERVICEABLE BY THE BANK.
 
 
I NOW SEEK YOUR PERMISSION TO PRESENT YOU AS MY DECEASED CLIENT RELATIVE AND  HAVE YOU STAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO MY DECEASED CLIENT SO THAT THE FUNDS £18,000,000.00 (EIGHTEEN MILLION GREAT BRITISH POUNDS STERLING ) CAN BE RELEASED AND PAID INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AS THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DEPOSIT. 
 
I WILL PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT CAN BE USED TO BACK UP YOUR CLAIM.  PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO ASSIST ME AND SEND TO ME YOUR CONTACT DETAILS, AND YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER, THEN I WILL COMMENCE WORK IN YOUR NAME. BE INFORMED THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE OTHERWISE MY CHAMBERS WILL NOT CONTACT YOU BECAUSE IT IS AGAINST OUR ETHICS.
 
 
PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE IN ACCEPTANCE OF OUR MUTUAL BUSINESS ENDEAVOR BY FURNISHING ME WITH THE FOLLOWING;
(1)YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS:.........................
(2) YOUR AGE AND MARITAL STATUS:.........................
(3) YOUR OCCUPATION:.............................................
(4) YOUR TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER:.................................
(5). YOUR NATIONALITY:.............................................
 
THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL ENABLE US FILE LETTERS OF CLAIM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS FOR NECESSARY APPROVALS IN YOUR FAVOR. 
 
CALL ME ON MY DIRECT TELEPHONE NO+44745-204-1023  FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION.   
 
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE.    
 
YOURS SINCERELY, 
 
BARRISTER DANIEL LOPEZ  ESQ

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