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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mathew James" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mathew.james00011@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2014 02:03:41 +0100
Subject: URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL

Attn,
 
My name is Mathew James, I am the accredited legal attorney to the
late Engr. Williams who was my client. He was an architect, a building contractor and as well a realtor. Unfortunately, he died with his wife and the only daughter leaving no one to claim and inherit all that he left behind. The cause of death was as a result of the Mumbai bomb blast by some terrorists on November 26th 2008 which occurred during their tourist visit to India.
 
 
Meanwhile, my client had a deposited sum of 5.5 Million British Pounds sterling with his bank here in London. In my position as the deceased attorney, i have tried everything possible to locate any of the deceased extended relative but all to no avail. I am contacting you because you share the same surname with the deceased since his immediate family who were the supposed legitimate next of kin all died with him in the cause of the bomb blast leaving no one to claim/inherit the fund he left behind with his bank.
 
For this reason, I seek your consent to position you as the deceased next of kin since you both share the same surname. Note that my firm shall process and procure all valid documents for this claim to influence the wills to your favour which will authenticate and empower you with every legitimate right to receive and administer over the fund as the legitimate next of kin to the deceased.
 
This is to forestall a total loss and for our mutual benefit. We need to act fast, otherwise the bank directors will take advantage of the fund for themselves once they find out that no one is in position to claim the fund. I am willing to share the fund on equal percentage with you which is 50% for you and 50% for me.
 
As the deceased attorney, i cannot achieve this goal without you because your role is of utmost important and inevitable to the success of this transaction. I want you to be rest assured of your safety for participating in this transaction, as my law firm will provide a secured legal guaranteed backing to your favour until the fund remittance is made to your nominated bank account.
 
Note that all the necessary legal clearance documents that will back up this claim would be legally and officially secured to your favour by my firm and the copies would be made available to you for your record purposes. If this interests you, kindly furnish me the following information which i will use for the processing and securing of the relevant legal clearance documents to your favour which will position and authenticate you with every legal backing/right to administer over the fund as the legitimate next of kin to the deceased.
 
(1) YOUR FULL NAME (2) CONTACT ADDRESS (3) OCCUPATIOn (4) AGE (5) PRIVATE TELEPHONE NUMBER for our oral discussion.
 
Please, endeavour to keep this transaction between both of us and avoid the intervention of any third party to ensure a hitch free fund remittance to any of your nominated bank account.
 
Regards,
Barr. Mathew James

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