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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. Gloria Cooper" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.gloria_coope@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2018 03:44:53 -0700
Subject: URGENT

With due Respect and Humility,
I was compelled to write you under a humanitarian ground. I am Mrs. Gloria Cooper 79 years old; I am suffering from a long time cancer of the breast and the liver,from all indication my conditions is really deteriorating, and it is quite obvious that I can't work or do any stressful thing. According to the doctors they have advised me that I may not live for the next one month, this is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage.
I was brought up from a motherless baby’s home before married to my late husband for thirty years without a child and relatives. My late husband died on his way back home in a fatal motor accident. Since his death I decided not to re-marry, which I sold all inherited belongings and deposited the total sum of US$7.6 Million dollars with a finance house, which were derived from his vast estates and investment in capital market and private investors.
Presently, this money is still with the finance house, as they have wrote me as the depositor to come over and pick the money Or i rather authorized someone whom can claim it on my behalf, because it has been long since 2000 i left the fund on their service due to my cancer illness. I write from my sick bed, with the cancerous ailment which is fast eaten me up. With this hard reality that has befallen my family and I, i have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this gift which comes from my husband’s effort and God to fund the upkeep of EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS, ORPHANS, DESTITUTE, PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED CHILDREN, BARREN-WOMEN and persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially. I do not want in away where this money will be used in an ungodly way. This is why I am taking this decision to hand you over this money. Though i don't know you none meet you before but i believe that the Almighty God will work through you in accomplishing this will.
All I need from you is a confidential assurance that the funds when received by you will be used for the said purpose. It is very difficult to trust someone, but I don't know why the spirit of God still approved me to email you about this out of few email addresses I have from the internet, yours was the only one that my mind convinced to contact.
I do hope you would be able to utilize this money for the said purpose of CHARITY, And also set up a NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION which would be named "FOUNDATION DE SALVATORE. Never turn me down, because this transaction is 100% risk free, which you are entitle to meet with the finance face to face meeting concerning above explanation. Always remember me in your daily prayers because of my up coming Cancer Surgery. I am using a desktop computer here in the hospital where I have been undergoing treatment.
I shall be awaiting your response.
Warmest Regards,
Mrs. Gloria Cooper

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