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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: "Jeff Leez" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jeff.leez@superposta.com>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2014 22:13:08 +0200
Subject: I need your urgent assistance...

 
My Dear Beloved ,
I am Mr Jeff Leez, from Sao Tome and Principe. Please take this serious, I found out that you may be capable of handling this due to your profile I search via the internet.
I am taking this liberty anchored on strong desire to ask for your assistance. Your consent and urgent attention will greatly be needed, devoid of apprehensions. I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It has defied all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts here.
I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for.
But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world. Now that I have been diagnosed with this deadly disease I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as few close friends, I lost my wife and son in a fatal accident a few years ago I have decided to give almost to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth.
So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in Somalia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money, which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Haiti, they refused and kept the money to themselves.
Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them. The last of my money, which no one knows of, is the huge cash deposit of Nineteen Million Euro (Euros 19,000,000.00) that I have with BOA-Bank Benin Republic. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity organizations. I am willing to offer you a reward if you are willing to handle this project.
If you can vow to be honest on this project, please contact me at my personal email: (dr.jeffleez [at] superposta.com)  and I will hand over to you, to officially and legally make you the beneficiary of my funds, so that even if I die you will not have any confrontation with anybody in receipt of the funds.
Mr Jeff  Lee
Princess Grace Hospital

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