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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: "Mr. Samuel Lagarra" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lagarrasamuel@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2020 01:05:06 -0000
Subject: From: Mr.Samuel Lagarra

From: Mr.Samuel Lagarra
Auditor General,
Smith and Williamson holdings Limited,
London, United Kingdom.
Email: lagarrasamuel@aol.com
 
 
Dear friend,
 
 
I am Mr. Samuel Lagarra, the Auditor General, Smiths and Williamsons 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 since 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. Since his attorney is aware, you will contact his attorney 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 person's records and 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.
 
 
Best Regards,
 
Mr. Samuel Lagarra
Auditor General,
Smith and Williamson holdings Limited,
London, United Kingdom.
 
 
 

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