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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: "J. Nicholson" <marietjacque@gmail.com>
Reply-To: jbrown@bizunit.net
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2015 18:00:31 +0200
Subject: Awaiting Your Response

Sir

How are you doing?. My intention of contacting you is to solicit your
assistance for a project, whichwill be mutually beneficial. Though I
know my decision to contact you is to a large extent unconventional,
the prevailing circumstances necessitated my action and I know this
mail will come as a suprise to you but from
a sincere heart with honest desire for your assistance.

In a brief introduction, My name is J.Nicholson. from Sierra Leone.

It is my pleasure communicating with you for the first time and
believing that it will lead to a better relationship between us.

I have an inheritance which was left for me by late father but the
bank said they were instructed by my late father during depositing of
the money,that it is only his business partner that is authorised to
withdraw the money because of my age when he made the agreement with
Citibank Of France. But now my father is late and was killed by this
his partner who was suppose to withdraw the money and give to me
according to mylate father's instruction. Because of this, I am afraid
of contacting the man or letting him know that I want to withdraw the
money and I will never let him know about the money or call him.


So right now I have explained to the Bank Manager incharge about the
situation and he said I should introduce another business partner of
my late father to withdraw the money for me and transfer it to their
country immediately. Base on this, I checked through your country
profile in our chamber of commerce and saw your details and I decided
to contact you for this assistance since I have the plan of relocating
to your country to settle down and invest. I will please want you to
stand as my late father's business partner in claiming the money from
the bank where it is right now. And please I also want to let you know
according to the Bank Manager, that this will involve a little
expenses because the Bank said my father's partner will have to make a
change of beneficiary and as well as obtain the remittance clearance
documents from the Ministries concerned so that all the inittial
documents of the deposit will read your name before remittance to your
country. The total amount in the account for withdrawal will be sent
to your private email address with other necessary informations and
documents as I receive your response.

Note that I resolved to reward you greatly with part of the total sum
if only you can assist me faithfully to claim the money and assist me
also in investing the money in any lucrative business in your country
or anywhere in the world you may deam ok. And I am assuring you that
every expenses incured in moving the money
to your country account, will be refunded with interest. Further to
this, please I will give you more detail and forward all vital
information to you as soon as I hear from you. Note also that the Bank
Manager said I should give you his private telephone number to call
him for official confirmation incase you find it necessary for any
reason.

Regards as I urgently await to hearing from you.

J.Nicholson

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