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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: "Edna Miller" (may be fake)
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 08:39:35 +0100
Subject: Personal Mail

Hello

With Due Respect And Humanity, I was compelled to write to you under
humanitarian grounds. My name is Edna Miller. I was born in Sheffield,
England, I am married to Douglas Miller director ESPM Steel Ltd.,
United Kingdom.

We were married for 36 years without a child. He died four years ago after
a Cardiothoracic Surgery. Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not live
for the next five months due to my cancer problem (cancer of the uterus).
Before my husband died, he deposited with a Bank in Scotland the sum of
14,000,258.00 (Fourteen Million Two Hundred and Fifty Eight Great British
Pounds).

Presently this money is still in the Bank's custody. Having known my
condition I have decided to donate this fund to any God fearing brother or
sister that will utilize this fund the way I would instruct herein. I want
somebody that will use this fund according to the desires of my late
husband to help the Less privileged, orphans, widows and propagating the
word of God. I also want part of this fund to be donated to any
humanitarian Organization presently in Haiti and to help those in the Japan
Quake.

I took this decision because I would be going in for Surgery later today. I
don't have any child that will inherit this fund, And I don't want this
money to be used in an un-Godly way. This is why I am taking this decision
to hand over to you this Fund. I am not afraid of death, because I know
where I am going. I want you to always remember me in your daily prayers
because of my up coming Surgery later today.

You are to work with my attorney who will assist you to see these funds
transferred to your account and how the said funds is to be used for the
good work of the Lord Almighty. I have already made provision for the legal
charges involved with my lawyer.

Contact my lawyer with this info:

Backley & Atkins Solicitor.
Contact: Bar. Mark Backley
128 Maltravers Road,
Sheffield, South Yorkshire S2 5AZ,
United Kingdom
Tel: +44-704-578-3997
Fax: +44-702-401-3106
Email: backley.atkins.solicitor@gmail.com

If you find this mail appealing, kindly contact my attorney by quoting this
reference number to him JA/TTL/801/3135/AM10/88se/UK . I write this
mail toyou solemnly with the faith that you will assist me in my last wishes. As
soon as you contact him with the reference number above, he should be able
to identify you, God bless.

With Regards,

Edna Miller

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