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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: Batolome Titi Tose <b_tititoseoffice@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2015 15:28:58 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Please urgently needed


Hello,
 Accept my sincerity apology for sending unsolicited mail to you, well; I am Batolome Titi Tose, a Personal Attorney to Late Mr. (Jonas), who was a chemical engineer and a major shareholder in an oil company here in Benin Republic. On the 22nd of July 2008, my client, His wife and their only child were involved in an auto crash that took their lives along Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport Road. Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of my client's extended relatives, but this has proved unsuccessful. So I'm contacting you to assist in repatriating the fund from the bank's custody before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank, meanwhile I seek your consent to present you to the bank as the next of kin to the deceased since you bear the same last name with him, and the value of this account USD $12.7 million will be paid to you, thereafter the fund will be shared into two. Before I can give you more details on the procedures I would like you to send to me your full name, address, age, occupation, Position, and your telephone number and mobile for communication purpose.
l awaits your response as soon as possible. Best regards Batolome Titi Tose.

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