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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: Phillip Esq Adams <WWW.@jasmine.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Phillip Esq Adams <phillipesqadams@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2018 02:21:19 +0900 (JST)
Subject: I am waiting for your prompt response

Phillip Adams, Esq.
3, Rue du Gouverneur Fourn 08 BP 799
Cotonou, Republic of Benin

Dear Friend,

I humbly crave your indulgence in sending you this mail, and if the content does not meet with your personal and business ethics, I wish to apologize in advance. My name is Barrister Phillip Adams, Esq. I am the personal attorney to a late national of your country who was an oil merchant here in Republic of Benin. On the 27th of April, 2012 my client was involved in a car accident here in Cotonou, Republic of Benin and unfortunately lost his life in the event of the crash. Since then I have made several inquiry to locate any of his direct relatives but to no avail.

Prior to the accident that claimed his life, my client was operating a bank account here with a cash balance of US$7.5Million (Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) and which has remained unclaimed till date. Basically, the reason I have contacted you is because the bank where the decease had the account has now issued me a notice to provide his next of kin within the next one month or they will have no option than to declare the account unserviceable and confiscate the funds. Therefore, since I have not been successful with locating or rather tracing any of his direct relative till date, I wish to seek your consent to present your name as the next of kin of the deceased since you answer same surname and from the same country with him, so that the funds will be transferred to you as the beneficiary and then you and I will share the funds than allowing the bank to confiscate the huge amount. Fortunately, whether you are a direct relative of him or not is never a barrier to the success of the claim procedure.

Upon your acceptance and return mail, the process of claim is very simple and not complicated nor risky to your involvement. We shall acquire legal documents that will be used to backup this funds claim in your name as the next of kin/beneficiary of the funds. Hence, it will be necessary that you give me your honest co-operation and assistance to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement in accordance with the inheritance claim act here, but more importantly, be rest assured that you are not breaking any law or under any risk whatsoever. Therefore, kindly get back to me and provide me with your information for the documentation purposes: YOUR FULL NAMES, YOUR ADDRESS, YOUR PERSONAL PHONE NUMBER, YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION. NOTE: After a successful claim and transfer of the funds to the bank account which you will provide, you and I will share the funds at the rate of 50% for me and 50% for you as settlement for your assistance and cooperation.

Regards,
Phillip Adams, Esq



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