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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. Elma Ed. Cole" <williangropo@uol.com.br>
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 14:00:26 -0300
Subject: FOR YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE

From: Mrs. Elma Ed. Cole
The Portland Hospital for Women and Children
205 - 209 Great Portland Street.
London W1W 5AH

I am Mrs. Elma Ed. Cole, a widow to late Mr. Larson Ed. Cole, I am 61

years old, I am a new Christian convert, suffering from long time

cancer of the breast, with all indications my condition is really

deteriorating, according to my doctors here in this Hospital, and in

all indication regards to medical analysis, this is because the cancer

stage has gotten to a very bad stage that is the reason I am

contacting you. Some unknown persons murdered my late husband, and

during the period of our marriage we could not produce any child. My

late husband was very wealthy and after his death, I inherited all his

business and wealth which I made some donations in part of Asia and

Africa Now I decided to give out this wealth, to contribute to the

development of charity organization which includes the less privilege

and the motherless children anywhere in the world. I am willing to

donate the sum of six million dollars, to the less privileged.

Please, I beg you in the name of God to help me collect the deposit

and distribute it accordingly. Use your judgment to distribute the

money and keep 10% of it to yourself Lastly, I honestly pray that this

money when transferred will be used for the said purpose even though I

am late then, because I have come to find out that wealth acquisition

without Christ is vanity and I made the promise to God that the fund

will be use to build his temple. May the grace of our lord Jesus the

love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you, and

your family. All correspondence must be strictly by email due to the

condition of my health.
God bless you.

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