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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: "st.jude catholic church london st.jude catholic church london" <rvs36a_mary@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:35:06 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: rvs36a_mary@yahoo.com

URGENT

- DEAR FRIEND, GOOD DAY,I' M REVEREND SISTER MARY JOSEPH FROM ST.JUDE CATHOLIC CHURCH LONDON ENGLAND. IT'S VERY PATHETIC THAT WE LOST REV.FATHER JOE-BONO OF ST.JUDE CATHOLIC CHURCH LONDON ENGLAND.LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO IS AN AMERICAN AND ALSO AN ORPHAN BUTNATIONALISED HERE IN ST.JUDE CATHOLIC CHURCH LONDON ENGLAND. LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO DIED ON 5TH SEPTEMBER 2007 AND BEFORE HE DIED,HE MADE A WILL. I' M GLAD TO INFORM YOU THAT LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO MADE YOU THE BENEFICIARY OF HIS WILL A SUM OF {300,000.00 three hundred thousand pounds} THROUGH YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS. YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING HOW LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO MADE YOU THE BENEFICIARY OF HIS WILL. LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO MADE A RANDOM SAMPLING OF THREE PEOPLE E-MAIL ADDRESSES BY THE HELP OF MICROSOFT INTERNATIONAL FIRM AND AMONG THE THREE PEOPLE E-MAIL ADDRESSES,YOURS CAME OUT AS A DRAW AND THIS IS HOW LATE REV.FATHER JOE-BONO MADE YOU THE BENEFICIARY OF HISWILL.FORWARD THE DETAILS BELOW TO ME SO THAT I CAN FORW!
ARD IT TO THE BARCLAYS BANK PLC LONDON UK FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUNDS. 1,FULL NAME. 2,CONTACT ADDRESS. 3,COUNTRY. 4,AGE AND OCCUPATION. 5,PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER. I AWAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU TODAY. BEST REGARDS GOD BLESS YOU. REV.SISTER MARY JOSEPH.


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