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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: "Robert Adams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <robertadams731@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 00:50:55 +0200
Subject: READ THIS CAREFULLY...

FROM THE PRIVATE DESK OF;
ROBERT ADAMS (BARRISTER AT LAW).
 
I am Robert Adams, a South African residing and practicing Law in United Kingdom. I specialised in family law, will, probate and tax saving strategies. On May 12 2010, one of my senior clients MR. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN a DUTCH died in a plane crash that happened in Libya.
 
Here is a link for your view: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/world/middleeast/13libya.html?_r=0Last message received on 02/12 at 08:17.
 
MR. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN stated his wife as his next of kin but unfortunately she died also in the plane crash along with their three children. I am the executor of Mr. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN's will and have shared his assets and properties to his extended family members and they have gone since December 2010. But Mr. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN deposited the sum of $4.5 million United States Dollars in a fixed deposit account in a bank in United Kingdom not known to anybody. On September 14th 2015 the bank wrote me as his lawyer/executor to bring along the next of kin/beneficiary of Mr. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN to inherit his funds (US$4.5m). I have therefore decided to contact you to present you as the next of kin/beneficiary to Mr. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN to enable you receive the fund on our behalf as Mr. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN spouse and dependant all died in the plane crash with him. All the documents required to claim this funds like the affidavit of claim, death certificate, certificate of deposit, transfer of ownership, ce
 
All I need from you is to indicate your interest to be the next of kin/beneficiary to MR. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN and I will present it to the bank. This is 100% legitimate. When you receive the money in your account I will come over to your country for the sharing as follows; 30% for you and 65% for me. The remaining 5% will be set aside for expenses that will be incurred by both parties during the course of this transfer to your account. As the fiduciary/trusted representative of the deceased, and as the manager of his assets, properties and financial affairs when Mr. VAN GEERAARD HUSSEN was alive I have absolute duty to properly administer the estate for its beneficiary. When I receive your positive reply I will furnish you with my full name, address and telephone number.I Await your response.
 
Best regards,
Robert.

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