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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: "BERNARDUS, Mrs. Margaret" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <3516014727@qq.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2016 08:36:13 -0700
Subject: Your Email Found In DECEASED ACCOUNT FILE (BEING RELATIVE TO INHERIT HIS FUNDS)

Dear Sir/Relative, (Madam)

Your name, address including your email was found in deceased file in Citibank Representative Ghana, it was confirmed that a Late Customer (ENGR. JACK FARRAR POWELL) before he died made you next of kin to his account, which stated upon demised, you shall inherit account balance, since deceased have paid all taxes that covered the release of the legacy to your favor.

Now Citibank has giving me five (5) working days to provide deceased relative or business Partner as mention for their payment, since I was deceased account officer, otherwise Citibank will confiscate this US$28.5M (Twenty Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars) which deceased left in your favor, as abandoned funds under instruction of Parliament of Ghana.

Already several official letters were sent to your address through Citibank Headquarter, since no response from you, the board instructed me to reach you privately on this same Email address which deceased indicated to reach his you relative/next of kin.

I withheld your name and DECEASED informations, until your response to my mail with information below, confirming you are same Relative/Business Partner, whose name appeared in deceased account file for immediate payment.

1) Your Full Name.
2) Your Telephone, Mobile, Office & Home Number.
3) The Copy of Your ID Card (Passport or Driver’s License) for identification.

The Citibank has instructed Ministry of finance to release above funds to you upon your response confirming the same name which deceased mentioned in your International Passport/Driver License to avoid wrong payment.
Like I said, details will be given to you, including deceased documents which Citibank/Parliament of Ghana will request for your identification to release above funds to you.

Kindly contact me through my alternative email (bernardusjh@yahoo.com).

Regards,
Mr. Johannes Hendricks (Retired Banker) I am South African Citizen and I was Account Officer to ENGR. POWELL for 9years before he died.

Anti-fraud resources: