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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: Melinda Marquez <melinda_marquez74@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:28:32 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: hi






Hi
>From Mrs Melinda Marquez;
Attention,
 
My name is Mrs.MELINDA  MARQUEZ, I am a Filipino citizen and allso a deaf woman,My husband died on 07 May 2007, He was a wealthy heir and businessman at the head of a large holding.
 
My husband fell seriously ill and was taken to USA for intensive care, but he later died of his illness. So I inherited from my late husband the sum of U.S. $30,000,000.00 USD. (Thirty Million U.S. dollars).
 
This money have hidden in a metal Briefcase and deposited in a security company in west africa and i am seriously worried about the money because the found was deposited in Abidjan Cote d'ivoire.I am worried because cote d'ivoire having serious political crises but i really thank GOD that the metallic trunk box is save overthere according to the security company director.
 
This deposit was coded under a secret arrangement that my Briefcase contains only family property. This means that the company itself does not know the exact contents of the box because it was deposited by my husband and declared as containing family property as africa is far from Philippines here and i dont want the money to deposited here because of Philippines goverment.Also, the main reason why I send you this letter is that, having more confidence in my surroundings here in the Philippines , I find myself at an impasse and I would like you to help me quietly to take my Briefcase money to a place much more discreet and stable in your country where I can start investing.
 
PLEASE THIS IS WHY I WANT THIS TRANSACTION TO CONCLUDE URGENTLY PLEASE,
 
Please excuse this humble email if it offends your sensibilities, but I have
no other means to contact you. I cannot talk on the telephone, so I did a
search for your email address, which I found on the international business
directorate email data search.My real name is Mrs Melinda Marquez and was born on 3rd july 1972, A Deaf and 39 years old woman, A Christian widow who is dying of oesophageal cancers and i want everything to conclude urgent so that i will come overthere to treat myself.
 
Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the period of one year more due to cancer problem but i want to be in position of this money so that i can use it as GOD directed me to do.

The family of my late husband is not aware of the existence of the deposit that made by my husband in a security company and they will never know. However, I'm always afraid of my husband's brothers as they continue to spy on me and even listen to my conversations. That is why I decided to find someone to trust outside the Philippines that will help me to withdraw the briefcase from the finance company and discreetly place the money in your account abroad for future investment.
 
I ask you to consider my situation as that of a widow and come to my aid because today from this case, I have no more money and my financial situation is more difficult (my financial situation is to zero)because my cancer illness.
 
If my cry touch your mind, I will send you in my next email, the particulars of the security company so that you can contact them for the immediate dispatch of this box for you to secure it.
 
If you sincerely want to help, we will discuss in advance the percentage that I give you of the total amount.
 
Thank you very much for your cooperation and I look forward to hearing from you for the conclusion of this case.I will tell you more about myself when i hear from you urgently and may God be with you.
 
Yours Mrs.Melinda Marquez.

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