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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: Annete Mills <web156@singnet.com.sg>
Reply-To: annetemillsr@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:58:25 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Thanks and Remain Blessed,

Hello Beloved,

It is good writing you today although we haven't known nor met each other before. It is true that this letter may come to you as a surprise, Nevertheless, I humbly ask you to give me the benefit of doubt and hear me out.

My name is Mrs. Annete Mills from the USA but presently in England, I was married to Late Mr. Hansen Mills who worked with the Netherlands Embassy in South Africa for a period of 9 years before he died, We were married for 12 years without a child, He died after a brief illness that lasted only four days.

Since his death I decided not to remarry due to my religious belief,When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$3,500,000 (Three million,Five hundred Thousand Dollars) with a Bank in England, Presently this money is still in the custody of the Bank in England while i was recently informed by Doctor Frank that I would not last for the next Eight months due to cancer illness.

Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a church, organisation or good person that will utilise this money the way I am going to instruct herein.

I want a church, organisation or good person that will use this funds to help the orphans, widows and other people that need financial assistance in any part pf the world, Using part of this money to build companies and establish businesses that will create job opportunities for the jobless population, l took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money, Moreover, my husband's relatives are pagans and it had been their wish to see my husband dead in order to inherit his wealth since we have no child,these people are therefore not worthy of this inheritance which is why I am taking this decision to contact you.

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my ill-health since the presence of my husband's relatives around me always, I don't want them to know about this development for security reasons.

As soon as I receive your reply I will give you the contact of the attorney who will help you proccess documents that will enable you claim the fund from the Bank in England where it is presently deposited,please always uplift me in prayer.

Any delay in your reply may give me room to search for another good person for this same purpose,do assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein while hoping to receive your response soon.

Thanks and Remain Blessed,

Mrs. Annete Mills.

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