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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: "Mrs Nancy Spencer" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nanspen@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2015 06:02:51 -0800
Subject: A NEED FOR IMMEDIATE RESPOND AND ASSISTANT.

Dear Hello,

I hope this email does not serve as an embarrassment to you because I do receive unsolicited mails sometimes and this massage is not a joke or junk.
My name is Mrs. Nancy F. Spencer. I'm married to Late Dr. Michael Spencer who died instantly on a treble car crash on June 2012. He worked with British Consulate in Madrid (Spain) for Nine years, while I operate private non-profit Charity Organization that teaches adult education and Motherless baby’s home in Liverpool and Madrid. Due to my sickness, I'm about to close down my non-profit Charity Organization because I have moved back to London (UK) for my medical treatment as I have been diagnosed with lung cancer, fibroid and hearing impairment as a result of drug reactions for 18 months now and I’m presently at undisclosed hospital in California struggling with life threatening diseases.
My husband and I were happily married for sixteen years without a child till he unfortunately died, may his soul rest in peace. Recently, my doctor hit me with some painful and devastated news that I do not have much time to leave because of a lung cancer.

I just want to inform you that my husband and I deposited a total equivalent sum of $9,870,000.00 (Nine Million Eight Hundred and Seventy Thousand United States Dollars) to a bank in London with a plan to invest the funds on local charity organization but unfortunately he died without achieving those dreams, so I have decided to proceed to improve humanity and motherless baby’s home in your country. I took this decision because I do not have a child who will inherit this fortune and now that i am suffering a lung cancer and also do not know how long I still have before i stop breathing. I have decided to put my trust in you because I checked your profile and it appears that you have an excellent record which gave me 100% confident that you will be Trust Worthy and capable to help me achieve these dreams of humanity organization for less privileged and also build orphanage homes in your country.
Please note that once you agree to work with me, I will give you the entire details and also prepare a legal document that will make you my partner and then include your name on the entire legal documents as my next of kin, so that the funds will be quietly transferred to you as my next of kin.

For more elaboration and please note that due to my illness, I cannot speak on hear very well on phone, so I will prefer to communicate through my private email: ( nanspen0@gmail.com )for now for more confidentiality. I will also need an assurance that you will act accordingly as stated herein.

I have been encouraged by God Almighty to take this bold step with you.

I look forward to hearing from you soonest.

Mrs. Nancy F. Spencer

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