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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Stephanie <asahi_tatebue7874@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Stephanie <sotavyp@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 7 May 2014 18:42:28 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Mrs Stephanie Otavy.

I am Mrs Stephanie Otavy I am married to Engr. Raymond Otavy who was the Chief Executive Director of an Oil and Gas producing Company here in South Africa for eleven years before he died on the 27Th of November 2012.

We were married for eleven years with-out a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his sudden death, we were both born again Christian. Since his death I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial.When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of ¨$12.5Million (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars Only) In one of the prime Bank here in South Africa, and advised me that he used my name as the next of kin.

Recently, my Doctor told me that I have serious sickness which is cancer problem, the one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness.

Having known my condition now, I have decided to donate this fund to to a liable person that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein to the orphanages, widows, propagating the word of God and to endeavour that the house of God is maintained, For i know that my sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in me in the kingdom of God according to the book of [Romans 8:18]. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and I don't want my husband's efforts to be in vain, I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly way.

Please, let my donation be in secret between you and i,as it is written in the book of [ Matthew 6:3 - 4] That when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand to know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret;and your father who sees in secret will himself reward you openly.

Please let me know if you can handle this donation so that I will give you details.Hoping to receive your reply on my provate email.

Yours Sincerely in Christ,
Mrs Stephanie Otavy.

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