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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "DORRIS OWUSU" <dorris-owusu@zwallet.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 19:06:08 +0000
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANCE.

Dear Friend,

I warm-heartedly make this contact with you on a positive note
Anticipating your kind consideration and co-operation,and plead for your time and understanding in this. Firstly, my name is Mrs DORIS OWUSU, I am the wife of late MICHAEL OWUSU.My late husband MICHAEL OWUSU who was a very successful business tycoon base
d here in Ghana was also the chairman Executive LA-PALM ROYAL BEACH HOTEL, C.E.O OWUSU HOLDINGS and a host of other companies died last month at the age of 46 after a briefillness at Kolebu Teaching Hospital here in Ghana. In our world today,
such a manner of approach may not be acceptable or very suspicious, as
we do not know each other and have not had any sort of communication in the past, but I urge you to take my email very seriously, considering the situation. Could you believe that the tradition and customs of the town and village where my late husband ca
me from demands that any woman who does not have a male child for the husband, that when ever the husband dies, all the properties belonging to the late husband including cash will be shared among the late husband brothers and the woman will be sent out
of her husband house for good.
My dear, this is exactly what I am going through right now since last
month my husband died. My late husband brothers has taken all the
properties belonging to my late husband including companies, bank
accounts and as well sent me and my little daughters out of my husband
house just because I do not have a male child for my late husband. This
is a wicked tradition and culture that has no moral value. As am talking
to you now, I and my two daughters are going through hell at the moment.
Right now, I am having in my position all the vital documents relating
to the sum of $9.5 million dollars which my late husband deposited with
a bank here with my name as the next of kin before his death. Last week
I contacted the manager of the bank and I was told that the money is
very much intact,
that I can as well come for it any time I feel like. Please remember
that I cannot make use of this fund here due to forces surrounding me at
the moment, I am regarded as a treat to my husband brother and they have
threatened to kill me. Please have mercy at the poor widow like me and
help me out of this mess. All I want you to do for me is to assist me
transfer this fund into your account immediately before my late husband
brothers will have knowledge of it and claim it just like the way they
did to others. I strongly believe that the only way I can secure this
money for myself is to act fast now and transfer this money overseas,
that is the main reason why I am contacting you for your assistance.
Please note that, as soon as this fund is transferred into your
account,you will stand the chance to have 20% percent of the total fund while 80% percent will remain for me so that I can be able to take care of my two kids my late husband left behind for me. Re
member that my children are the only happiness I have here on earth and I cannot stand to watch them go through such pains. You will be greatly rewarded and be entitled to a percentage of the proceeds from the any investments for rendering me this most n


eeded assistance. I look forward to hearing from you immediately so that I can direct you what next to do for us to commence the transfer immediately.
Sincerely,
MRS DORIS OWUSU.
___________________ Dear Friend,

I warm-heartedly make this contact with you on a positive note
Anticipating your kind consideration and co-operation,and plead for your time and understanding in this. Firstly, my name is Mrs DORIS OWUSU, I am the wife of late MICHAEL OWUSU.My late husband MICHAEL OWUSU who was a very successful business tycoon base
d here in Ghana was also the chairman Executive LA-PALM ROYAL BEACH HOTEL, C.E.O OWUSU HOLDINGS and a host of other companies died last month at the age of 46 after a briefillness at Kolebu Teaching Hospital here in Ghana. In our world today,
such a manner of approach may not be acceptable or very suspicious, as
we do not know each other and have not had any sort of communication in the past, but I urge you to take my email very seriously, considering the situation. Could you believe that the tradition and customs of the town and village where my late husband ca
me from demands that any woman who does not have a male child for the husband, that when ever the husband dies, all the properties belonging to the late husband including cash will be shared among the late husband brothers and the woman will be sent out
of her husband house for good.
My dear, this is exactly what I am going through right now since last
month my husband died. My late husband brothers has taken all the
properties belonging to my late husband including companies, bank
accounts and as well sent me and my little daughters out of my husband
house just because I do not have a male child for my late husband. This
is a wicked tradition and culture that has no moral value. As am talking
to you now, I and my two daughters are going through hell at the moment.
Right now, I am having in my position all the vital documents relating
to the sum of $9.5 million dollars which my late husband deposited with
a bank here with my name as the next of kin before his death. Last week
I contacted the manager of the bank and I was told that the money is
very much intact,
that I can as well come for it any time I feel like. Please remember
that I cannot make use of this fund here due to forces surrounding me at
the moment, I am regarded as a treat to my husband brother and they have
threatened to kill me. Please have mercy at the poor widow like me and
help me out of this mess. All I want you to do for me is to assist me
transfer this fund into your account immediately before my late husband
brothers will have knowledge of it and claim it just like the way they
did to others. I strongly believe that the only way I can secure this
money for myself is to act fast now and transfer this money overseas,
that is the main reason why I am contacting you for your assistance.
Please note that, as soon as this fund is transferred into your
account,you will stand the chance to have 20% percent of the total fund while 80% percent will remain for me so that I can be able to take care of my two kids my late husband left behind for me. Re
member that my children are the only happiness I have here on earth and I cannot stand to watch them go through such pains. You will be greatly rewarded and be entitled to a percentage of the proceeds from the any investments for rendering me this most needed assistance. I look forward to hearing from you immediately so that I can direct you what next to do for us to commence the transfer immediately.
Sincerely,
MRS DORIS OWUSU.
___________________


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