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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: "CARLOS GONZALEZ" <nick@oceanactive.com>
Date:
Subject:


I Hope This Email Finds You Well;
=

$9.4M/USD (Beneficiary)
Please, I'm writing to confirm if you received the previous email / letter=
I sent you a few days ago? You having the same (surname) last name with my=
client.It is regrettable that my first letter to you has been ignored whic=
h may jeopardize our business.Firstly, please accept my apology for any inc=
onvenience caused and I would like to apologize for the inconvenience once =
again.I want to make sure you get it and hopefully you have a chance, it wi=
ll work well for you. It's more professional and you need to be more seriou=
s about it with your relative, an entrepreneur contractor with an independe=
nt business magnate who lived in Europe (Spain) for over a decade and succe=
ssfully executed a contract worth ($9.4 Million USD) in construction.
I got your contact through your country's municipal page, while I was look=
ing for any (relative) or last name for him. Before the death of my decease=
d client; my client successfully executed a contract worth $9.4 million in =
projects,where the government will pay the contractor for the costs of comp=
leting the project. The government is fully paying in full all foreign cont=
ractors who have successfully completed their contracts and my client is on=
e of those to benefit from this payment plan, which has already been deposi=
ted with his bank. As the Attorney/ Solicitor present during the registry o=
f the contract of my late client, the bank has officially notified and inst=
ructed me to present the heir / heiress to make claim on the outstanding de=
posit, which has been recorded.
Throughout Advent, I decided to contact you. I would like to present you a=
s a family member (sole beneficiary) to the bank. You have a common last na=
me with him as my client's closest relative next of kin. I want to assure y=
ou that I am proposing this project to you with the best of my intentions. =
All I require from you is your honest cooperation. I guarantee that this tr=
ansaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect=
you from any breach of law. Upon successful completion of this project, on=
ce the deposit has been released to you, we will disburse the content in th=
e ratio of 50% /50% for me respectively as our benefit ($4.7M each).
Our work is subject to the lawyer-client, we offer a comprehensive privile=
ge and protection as a lawyer-client and depending on us as lawyers. Please=
respond strictly to my email: redacted@domain.name : You can also call me =
for effective communication and oral clarification on how I should proceed =
next.
* Your printed name: -----
* Phone number: ------
Respectfully yours,
+ (34) 9721-192-892
Carlos Borja Gonzalez
Senior Associates LLP (lawyer)

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