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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: "Samuel and Elizabeth" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <samuelelizabeth@bewoopi.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2011 12:33:52 +0200
Subject: GREETING'S TO YOU

GREETING'S TO YOU
FROM SAMUEL AND ELIZABETH

THIS LETTER MIGHT COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISED SINCE WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY PREVIOUS
CORRESPONDENCE.THIS IS AS A RESULT OF THE HELPLESS SITUATION I FOUND MYSELF INTO. MY NAME IS
SAMUEL, I AM 19 YEARS OLD BOY,I GOT YOUR CONTACT DURING MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE, CAPABLE AND
TRUSTWORTHY PERSON THAT CAN ASSIST ME IN THIS DARKEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.
I LOST MY FATHER, MOTHER AND TWO SISTERS, IN A CAR CRASH WHEN OUR DRIVER WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE
ACROSS THE RAILWAY WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THE TRAIN WAS ALREADY AT THAT POINT WITH SPEED. I AM
ALIVE WRITING YOU BECAUSE I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE AT HOME WITH MY YOUNGER SISTER(ELIZABETH) AT THE
TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I AM WRITING YOU NOW FROM OUR CHURCH WHERE I STAY NOW WITH THE
FAMILY OF OUR CHURCH PASTOR.

BEFORE MY FATHER'S SUDDEN DEATH, HE KEPT THE SUM OF US$9,000,000.00 ( NINE MILLION US DOLLARS) IN
A BANK.NOW THAT HE IS LATE AND I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT BEHIND. I AM WRITING YOU TO ASSIST ME
RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY, INVEST IT IN A PROFITABLE BUSINESS AND RELOCATE ME TO JOIN
YOU IMMEDIATELY. AS A RESULT OF INSECURITY
OF LIFE AND PROPERTY HERE, I DO NOT WANT TO STAY HERE ANY LONGER.

I GIVE ALMIGHTY GOD THE GLORY AND THANKS THAT MY FATHER DID NOT DIE IMMEDIATELY BUT HE DIED AFTER
THREE DAYS OF THE EXPLOSION.HE GAVE ME ALL THIS INFORMATION WHILE HE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL.I WILL
BE VERY GLAD IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME CONTACT THE BANK WHERE MY FATHER DEPOSITED THIS FUNDS ,I AM
READY TO PASS TO YOU ALL THE INFORMATION'S THAT MY FATHER GAVE TO ME ON HOW TO GET THIS FUNDS OUT
FROM THE BANK IMMEDIATELY ONLY IF YOU WILL PROMISE ME THAT I WILL NOT BE BETRAYED AT THE END, I
AM PREPARED TO GIVE YOU
20% OF THE TOTAL SUM FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE.

I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU .
REGARDS,
SAMUEL AND ELIZABETH


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