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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: Priscilla Owusu <priscilliaowusulight@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 May 2016 04:30:13 -0400
Subject: Urgent Response Needed

Hello,
My name Mrs. Priscilla Owusu. I am a banker working with Barclays Bank Gh.
I am writing to contact you over a very important business transaction
which I am quite sure you will be interested in.
One of our customer who was a foreign investor here died in a ghastly car
crash that claimed the lives of his whole family including his wife who was
his next of kin. Coincidentally, you have the same last name and he was
also from your country. He made a deposit in an ESCROW account, valued at
$40,700,000.00USD with my bank. I was his account officer before I rose to
the position of the branch manager.
Since the last quarter of 2014 until today, some of my colleague who knew
about this unfortunate tragedy has been hassling me with increasing
pressure to give them access to this account so they can siphon this money
without any trace. I have held them off on the account that there is still
a relative of my client out there but the truth is that the only person who
knew about this transaction was his wife. That is why I am delighted to be
able to finally contact you.
I know that my client and his family including his wife who was his next of
kin at the time are all deceased. It would be unfair to me if I let my
colleagues have their way. I have contacted you because I am seeking your
co-operation to present you as the only surviving member and legal
beneficiary of my client since you share the same last name and are from
the same country. I will give you all the inside information and update so
that my bank headquarters will pay the total benefits to you. We will share
the this funds 50%-50% after you have confirmed it in your account after
which you will effect the transfer of my share to a designated Swiss
account which I will provide you.
Best Regards.

Mrs. Priscilla Owusu
Barclays Bank
Accra, Ghana.

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