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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Diana Ramey" <dianaramey02@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: dianaramey@catholic.org
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 10:14:05 -0700
Subject: Dearest in Christ

DEAREST IN CHRIST,

CALVARY GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR.
MY NAME IS DIANA RAMEY (MRS) WIFE TO LATE MR. ERNEST KARL RAMEY. I AM OF MIDDLE AGE, I HAVE NO FAMILY NO KIDS, I LOST MY HUSBAND AND MY ONLY TWO KIDS IN A MOTOR ACCIDENT FIVE YEARS AGO IT'S SO SAD FOR ME RIGHT NOW, I AM VERY ILL WITH CANCER, DOCTORS SAYS I HAVE SHORT TIME TO LIVE,I HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE MY WEALTH TO AN HONEST PERSON THAT CAN USE IT TO GLORIFY THE NAME OF THE LORD.

AFTER I RECEIVED INSTRUCTION FROM MY GOD TO USE THIS FUNDS TO DO GODS WORK AND TO GIVE TO CHARITY, I PRAYED TO GOD FOR DIRECTION AND HE HAS BEEN DIRECTING ME. I TOLD GOD THAT I WANT A MINISTRY, OR AN HONEST PERSON WHO WILL SPEND THE FUND FOR THINGS THAT WILL GLORIFY HIS NAME. THIS REVELATION CAME AFTER MY CONVERSION TO A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN. I RECEIVED CHRIST AND I FOUND OUT THAT A SINNER HAS NO PLACE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I NEVER HAD REST OF MIND, I SEEKED GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND HE REVEALED TO ME THAT I WILL ONLY HAVE REST OF MIND IF I SERVE HIM WITH ALL MY WEALTH AND HE WILL BLESS ME MIGHTILY.

IT WAS WHEN I RECEIVED CHRIST THAT I REALIZED THE MEANING OF GOING TO HEAVEN. I NEED TO MAKE HEAVEN, I DON'T WANT TO PERISH IN HELL FIRE.AS MY LEVEL OF CHRISTIANITY WAS INCREASING, I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE WEALTH OF SINNERS ARE ACQUIRED FOR THE JUST. GOD OPENED MY EYES TO THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES 6,VERSES 1 & 2. READ THIS SCRIPTURE AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD THAT GOD GAVE THE GRACE TO ACQUIRE WEALTH YET GOD DID NOT GIVE THEM THE GRACE TO ENJOY THE WEALTH. I HAPPENED TO FALL INTO THE SAME CATEGORY NOW IT IS THE WISH OF GOD.

WHEN GOD REVEALED TO ME TO USE MY WEALTH TO DO HIS WORK, I
UNDERSTOOD THAT GOD WAS TESTING ME LIKE HE TESTED ABRAHAM AND OTHER MEN OF GOD. ABRAHAM NEEDED A CHILD AND GOD ASKED HIM TO USE HIS ONLY SON FOR SACRIFICE, ABRAHAM WAS FAITHFUL. HE OBEYED AND GOD MADE HIM FATHER OF MANY NATIONS.

AFTER THE DEATH OF MY LATE HUSBAND AND WHEN I WAS TOLD ABOUT MY ILLNESS I HAVE TO SELL ALL OUR PROPERTIES WHICH AMOUNTED TO 12.7 MILLION POUND STERLING, WHICH I DEPOSITED WITH A FINANCE COMPANY IN EUROPE FOR SAFETY PURPOSE, IF ANYTHING HAPPEN TO ME THIS FUNDS WILL BE IMPOUNDED. CAN YOU USE THIS FUNDS FOR THE KINGDOM'S WORK AND FOR CHARITY PURPOSE?

I AWAIT YOUR PROMPT REPLY.

IN HIS SERVICE,

MRS. DIANA RAMEY

PLEASE REPLY TO EMAIL: dianaramey@catholic.org





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