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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 Francisca Pena" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fpena@centrum.cz>
Date: Fri, 27 May 2011 16:11:15 -0000
Subject: Can I Trust You? If Yes, Respond Immediately.

 
Greetings,
 
I am Mrs Francisca Pena, a 58 year old British-Indonesian Woman.I have recently been diagnosed of malignant cancer and diabetes.
 
My husband and our two daughters died together with other Indonesians on the 26th day of December,2004 during the Tsunami Disaster when they traveled to Indonesia.
 
I am writing to you from sick bed because of how your help is urgent to me. I was told recently that I may not live longer than few weeks due to the extent of damage the cancer and diabetes have affected my body organs.The doctor therefore, requested me to sign a medical undertaken before he can carry out an emergency surgery to save my life.He insisted that I must sign an undertaken before he can carry out any surgery because according to him life threatening operation demands the consent of the patient before it is done since my chances of survival is small.This information put me in a dilemma.I can not trace my relatives in Indonesia since after the Tsunami disaster and I believe they are all dead.
 
There is £10.6M GBP (Ten Million,Six Hundred Thousand Great Britain pounds Sterling) my husband has in a Bank of which I am the next of kin.Having known my condition I decided to donate this funds to either a charity/orphanage home or devoted God fearing individual despite religion that will utilize this money very well. I want the organization or individual to use this money in all sincerity to fund charity homes, orphanages, widows etc.I took this decision because I don`t have any child that will inherit this money and I don`t want a situation where this money will be used in an Unholy manner, Hence the reasons for this bold decision.Please, pray for me to recover as your prayers will go a long way in uplifting my spirit.
 
I need whom I will pass the right of next of kin so that the Bank will release the deposited money to the person after confirmation from me.
 
If I can trust you on this issue, please reply immediately to private E-mail: fpena@w.cn
 
Thank you and May God bless you.
 
Yours faithfully,
Mrs Francisca Pena
fpena@centrum.cz
 

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