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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: John Thompson <a5@sulnsxcu21.me>
Reply-To: <johnthompson0112@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2016 11:47:48 +0100
Subject: TRANSACTION FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT

Dear friend,

I am Mr. John Thompson, I am IT manager with National Commercial Bank of Ghana, Tema Branch (NCB) I believe it is the wish of God for me to come across you today. I am having an important business discussion I wish to share with you which I believe will interest you because, it is in connection with your family last name and you are going to benefit from it.

A citizen of your country and has the same family last name with you had a fixed deposit with my bank in 2005, valued at $3,400,000.00 (Three Million, our Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) the due date for this deposit contract was this 16 of January 2016. He was among the death victims in the May 26 2006 Earthquake disaster in Jawa according to my investigation from his partner in Indonesia, that killed over 5,000 people. He was in Indonesia on a business trip of gold and diamond business and that was how he met his end. My bank management is yet to know about his death, I knew about it because he was my friend and I am his account officer. He did not mention any Next of Kin/ Heir when the account was opened, and He was not married and no children. Last week my Bank Management requested that I should give instructions on what to do about his funds, if to renew the contract.

I want you to stand as the next of kin because of your similar family last name with my late client. There is no risk involved; the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law. We shall go over the details once I receive your urgent response strictly through my personal email address (johnthompson0112@gmail.com ) Please copy above email address and write back to me with your private email address then I will send you more details.

I am waiting for your urgent response.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr. John.

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