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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: JOHNSON MALACHI <m_rev.grace@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: JOHNSON MALACHI <johnsonmalachi60@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2015 10:56:35 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: ENDEAVOUR TO CONTACT ME,


 DEAR GOOD FRIEND,

I AM JOHNSON MALACHI, THE MANAGER, BILL AND TREASURY DEPARTMENT OF STANDARD CHARTERED BANK PLC, I GOT YOUR CONTACT DURING MY SEARCHING FOR THE RELATIVES OF ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS LATE MR. ANTONIO JANUZAJ AN EXPATRIATE WHO WORKS WITH OIL COMPANY HERE IN NIGERIA BEFORE HIS ACCIDENTAL DEATH ON FRIDAY, THE 9TH DAY OF DECEMBER. 2005 VIA ILL-FATED SOSOLISO AIR CRASH.

DURING OUR BANK ROUTINE CHECK, WE DISCOVERED THE SUM OF ($18M USD) EIGHTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS IN A DOMICILIARY ACCOUNT WHICH BELONGS TO THE LATE DECEASED AND OUR BANK IS PLANNING TO FREEZE HIS ACCOUNT NOW AND TRANSFER HIS MONEY TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT AS UNCLAIMED BILL AS NOBODY COMES UP TO CLAIM HIS MONEY AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THIS MONEY AS THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH OF US TO MAKE MONEY.

I NOW WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO YOU FOR SAFEKEEPING/DISBURSEMENT, THE REQUEST OF A FOREIGNER TO STAND AS NEXT OF KIN IS THAT THE LATE DECEASED WAS A FOREIGNER AND A NIGERIAN CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER I AM READY TO NEGOTIATE THE MODE OF SHARING WITH YOU.

I KNOW THAT A TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL MAKE YOU WORRIED AND APPREHENSIVE BUT I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% LEGITIMATE AND HITCH FREE ALL I NEEDED FROM YOU IS YOUR HONESTY, SINCERITY, CO-OPERATION AND ASSURANCE TO ME THAT MY OWN SHARE WILL BE RELEASE TO ME AFTER THE TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO YOU.

DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION ABSOLUTE SECRET/CONFIDENTIAL DO NOT TELL ANYBODY ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION TILL WE GET THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY TO ENABLE US PROCEED FURTHER.

THANKS AND YOURS SINCERELY,
JOHNSON MALACHI.

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