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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: "Mrs. Victoria Lee" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <victtoriallee@gala.net>
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2010 04:17:36 +0100
Subject: GOD BLESS YOU.

GOOD DAY TO YOU,
 
My name is Mrs. Victoria Veronica Lee; I am a dying woman who has decided to donate what I have to you/church. I was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer for about two years, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for. He owned an import/export company which operated in the UK, west Africa and in china I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to you for the good work of God, rather than allow my relatives to use my husband hard earned funds ungodly, since we had no children to inherit them.
 
Please pray that the good Lord forgive me my sins. I have asked God to forgive me and I believe He has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in for an operation in less than a month and I'll want you to stand as the beneficiary to the account of my late husband in the United Kingdom and in Africa. Also to the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.
 
You would be entitled to 20% of all the funds which are deposited in bank/finance house in the United Kingdom and in Africa. The remaining 80% will be used to set up a foundation in my husband's name, which will be used to help the less privileged. At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls due to the fact that my relatives are around me and my health status.
 
Please contact my lawyers in charge of the funds and they will arrange the transfer of the funds from my account to your preferred account as you would be the beneficiary to them.
 
Pls. Contact my lawyer in London,
Barrister Anthony Berry with the specified address:
CHAMBERS OF ANTHONY BERRY
BARRISTER ANTHONY BERRY
9 BEDFORD ROW LONDON WC1R 4AZ
E-mail: antony-berry@mail.mn
TELL: +448715033156 447024092740
FAX: +447005800051
 
There are above 20 million dollars deposited in banks/finance houses in the UK as well as in Africa. Please use your share of the funds well and always extend the good work to others.
 
Please tell him that I have asked you to reach him. This is my private email: victtoriallee@gala.net
God blesses you.
 
Thanks,
Mrs. Victoria Lee.

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