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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: "Andrew Azazi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <andrewazazi@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2018 04:58:44 -0400
Subject: Hello

Good day Sir/Madam
 
 
 
I am Mr Andrew Azazi Director of bills/exchange at the foreign remittance department of First City Monument Bank Limited UK. In my department, I  discovered an abandoned sum of $30.500,000.00 (Thirty Million, Five  Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only) in an account that belonged  to one Late Mr.Paul W. Harry, who died along with his wife, in  2009, in a ghastly plane crash. Since we got the information about his death, I have been expecting his next-of-kin to come over and file a claim as next of kin over his money because we cannot release it unless somebody applied for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our Security guidelines.
 
 
 
Unfortunately, nobody has come forward to claim this money. It is based on this I decided to establish a cordial business relationship with you, hence by contacting you. I want you to present yourself as the next of kin to Late Mr.Paul W. Harry, so that the funds can be remitted into your account. Moreover do not want the money to go into the government account as unclaimed bills. The Security law and guidelines here stipulates that any account abandoned or is dormant for a period of Years, is deemed closed and all money contained therein forfeited to the government treasury account.
 
 
 
Now, it is being speculated that the above sum will be transferred into the government account as an unclaimed fund on or before the end of this Month, when nobody come forward to lay claims. The reason for requesting  your assistance, is occasioned by, the fact that the deceased  (Mr.Paul W. Harry) was a foreigner, and I have access to his  detailed bio data which you will hold as a weapon to present yourself as  the next of kin to Late Mr.Paul W. Harry.
 
 
 
The mode of sharing after a successful transfer of the money into your account, shall be 50% to me and for the role you will be expected to play in this deal, I have agreed to give you 50% of the total sum, Therefore, you are expected to reply this letter indicating your readiness and interest to participate in this business. After receiving your reply, you will be communicated to with the exact steps to take. I expect your urgent response and I shall contact you for further discussion on this matter, to enable us conclude this transaction urgently without any delay or hitch. Please treat this business proposal as strictly confidential for security reasons considering my official position in this bank.
 
 
 
Regards,
Mr Andrew Azazi
 

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