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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: paul roger <rogerpaul818@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 18:00:19 -0700
Subject: Hello Dear

Hello Dear.

I have been in search of someone with this name "Machava", so when I saw
your name I was pushed to contact you and see how best we can assist each
other.

I believe it is the wish of God for me to come across you on search now. I
am having an important business discussion I wish to share with you which I
believe will interest you because, it is in connection with your name and
you are going to benefit from it.

Meanwhile I am Mr.Paul Roger, a reputable banker here and I have in my
database the existence $ 7,500,000.00 (Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand
U.S. Dollars) that belongs to a deceased customer, named; Mr.Abbas Machava
, A citizen of your country, This amount is now in our database without any
claim Because The deceased died in a deadly earthquake in China in 2008,
and nobody left for the claim of his Deposited fund.

My bank management is yet to know about his death, I knew about it because
he was my friend and I am his account officer. Late Mr.Abbas Machava, did
not mention any Next of Kin/ Heir when the account was opened, and Abbas
was not married and no children. Last week my Bank Management requested
that i should give instructions on what to do about his funds, if to renew
the contract.

So I hereby request your assistance to receive this fund into your account
as the beneficiary HENCE you bear same surname to the deceased, Please
kindly send me your reply of interest to my private email address: (
paul.roger59@yahoo.com) so that i will give you more details on how to
proceed, I am not a greedy person, so I am Suggesting we share the funds
equal, Which is 50% / 50% to both parties.

I know this will happen and that is why I have been looking for a means to
handle the situation, because if my Bank Directors happens to know that
Abbas is dead and do not have any Heir, the bank will freeze his account
and channel the funds to their personal use, that is how banks makes its
money so I don't want such to happen to this funds. When I saw your name I
was happy therefore I seek your co-operation to present you as Next of Kin/
Heir to the account, since you have the same last name with him and my bank
head quarters will release the account to you hence they are ready to pay
to anybody with correct information of the account. There is no risk
involved; the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement
that will protect you from any breach of law.

It is better that we claim the money, than allowing the Bank Directors to
take it, they are rich already. I am not a greedy person, so I am
suggesting we share the funds, 50/50% to both parties, my share will assist
me to start my own company which has been my dream. Let me know your mind
on this and please do treat this information as top secret. We shall go
over the details once I receive your urgent response

We can as well discuss this on phone; let me know when you will be
available to speak with me on phone. Have a nice day and God bless.

Anticipating your communication.
Mr.Paul Roger.

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