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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: mrslovelin_v2@yahoo.co.jp
Reply-To: misslovelin@voila.fr
Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:42:21 -0400
Subject: FROM MISS LOVELIN



FROM MISS LOVELIN

THIS LETTER MIGHT COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISED.THIS IS AS A RESULT OF THE
HELPLESS SITUATION I FOUND MYSELF INTO. MY NAME IS LOVELIN,I AM 19 YEARS
OLD GIRL FROM IVORY COAST ABIDJAN IN WEST AFRICA.I LOST MY FATHER, MOTHER,
MY YOUNGER 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 AT THE TIME
OF THE ACCIDENT. I AM WRITING YOU NOW FROM OUR CHURCH WHERE I STAYED NOW
WITH THE FAMILY OF OUR CHURCH PASTOR SINCE THE DEATH OF MY FAMILY.BEFORE
MY FATHER'S SUDDEN DEATH, HE KEPT THE SUM OF US$3.100,000.00 ( THREE
MILLION ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) IN A BANK.NOW THAT HE IS LATE 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 MY LIFE AND PROPERTY, 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 WE WILL NOT BE BETRAYED AT THE END.


I AM WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU .

YOURS LOVELY DAUGHTER,

MISS LOVELIN.


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