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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Lydia Johnson" <lydiaj225@yahoo.co.in> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 22:17:46 +0000
Subject: Greetings...Email: lydiaj221@yahoo.fr

C/o Eglise Uganda (Catholic church )
Liberte Sicap,
Dakar Senegal.
Email: lydiaj221@yahoo.fr

Good Day.
I know this mail will come to you as a surprise, nevertheless I am Mrs. Lydia Johnson, aged 59 years, the wife of Major Stephen Johnson, Chief Security Officer and Aide-de–camp to the president Charles Tailor of Liberia .
As a result of the on-going war in my country, I am saddled with problems of my ill health of protracted diabetes and high blood pressure which is getting of increase in the resent times and also getting a trust worthy individual abroad to receive the sum of US$10million and 25 kg worth of Diamond on our behalf.
Due to this war crises presently in my city Monrovia our home town, my husband managed to sneak me and my son David 23 years of age and four other of my daughters out of Monrovia to Dakar senegal for safety. We were sneaked into Dakar Senegal through the land boarder by the help of some government militant group.
My husband adviced me to get a trust worthy individual abroad to receive the deposit.I feel confident therefore to introduce myself and this offer to you based on this problem of war in my country and our present condition as all our foreign contacts and connections got lost during this crises, all properties burnt by the rebels.
I am desperately in need to move and re-locate this huge deposit to your country for safe keeping on the advice of my husband as this is the only wealth remaining for the future survival and well being of our large family.
For your percentage for assistance, a negotiable percentage will be discussed as soon as I receive your response based on this plea for your assistance as our lives are highly in danger due to war.
I pray and plead for your help. You can email me back for further clarifications
God bless you as you heed to my plea for assistance.
Sincerely yours.
Mrs.Lydia Johnson and children
Email: lydiaj221@yahoo.fr



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