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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: info@auditorgeneral.cf
Reply-To: owengreen70@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 09 Feb 2020 06:17:02 -0500
Subject: Confidential Proposal

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Owen Green, the Auditor General Smith & Williamson Holdings
Limited United Kingdom. In the course of my auditing, I discovered a
floating fund in an account which was opened in 1990 belonging to a dead
foreigner who died in 1999. I have been able to contact the Late account
holder's attorney; but every effort made to track any member of his
family or next of kin has failed, hence I got in contact with you to
stand as his next of kin since you bear the same last name. He died
leaving no heir or a will. His attorney is aware you will contact him
since he has all the legal documents backing the fund.

My intention is to transfer this sum of Five Million, Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars only in the aforementioned account to a
safe account overseas. I am therefore proposing that you quietly partner
with me and provide an account or set up a new one that will serve the
purpose of receiving this fund. For your assistance in this venture, I
am ready to part with a good percentage of the entire funds. We will
share the funds in the proportion of 60% for you, 10% for the attorney,
20% for me and 10% will be donated to Charitable Organizations. After
going through the deceased files, I discovered that:

(1) No one has operated this account since 1999.
(2) He died without an heir; hence the money has been floating.
(3) No other person knows about this account apart from the attorney and
there was no known beneficiary. That is why every process has to go
through the attorney.

If I do not remit this money urgently, it would be forfeited and
subsequently converted to company's funds which will benefit only the
directors of my firm. This money Would be approved to you with all the
necessary documents in your name. However, you would be required to show
some proof of claim which the attorney will provide you with and also
guide you on how to make your applications.

Please do give me a reply so that I can send you detailed information on
the modalities of my proposition. I completely trust you to keep this
proposition absolutely confidential, I look forward to your prompt
response.

Regards,

Mr. Owen Green
Auditor General,
Smith & Williamson Holdings Limited,
London, United Kingdom.

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