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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: "sarah williams" <sarah_will@sarahwilliamsworld.net>
Reply-To: sarahwilliams@mail2christian.com
Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 03:30:51 +0000
Subject: HELLO

I AM SARAH WILLAMS, FORMERLY SARAH FADIRAT EL-KANEMI, I AM 63 YEARS
OLD. I BECAME A CITIZEN OF SAUDI ARABIA DUE TO MARRIAGE, BUT I AM RESIDENT IN
MALTA AT PRESENT WHICH WILL BE PROBABLY BE MY FINAL RESTING PLACE. I WAS BORN
AN ORPHAN IN 1942. I HAVE NO FATHER OR MOTHER, AND I HAVE NO RELATIVES. I
WAS BLESSED TO HAVE MARRIED A HUMBLE AND KIND MAN, DR. MUSHARAF EL-KANEMI,
WE BOTH BECAME CHRISTIANS AND CHANGED OUR LAST NAMES AND HE LATER BECAME
MUSHARAF WILLAMS. WE BOTH STRUGGLED AND WORKED HARD AND THE ALMIGHTY
BLESSED US ABUNDANTLY WITH RICHES. HE WAS A DEALER IN GOLD, DIAMONDS AND
TANTALITE.
 
I AM NOW OLD AND SICK WITHOUT A HUSBAND AND CHILDREN. THIS HAS MADE ME
UNHAPPY. I HAVE NOT RE-MARRIED DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WANT TO CHERISH
MY HUSBAND'S MEMORIES. FOR 2 YEARS NOW I HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY SI! CK. I AM
PRESENTLY IN HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM CANCER AND I HAD A STROKE WHICH
HAS AFFECTED MY SPEECH. THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BODY IS PARALYSED. THE DOCTORS
SAY I HAVE A FEW MONTHS LEFT TO LIVE. I CAN ONLY MOVE MY RIGHT HAND, AND I AM ABLE TO WRITE LITTLE WITH IT WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN IS BEEN SENT TO YOU VIA EMAIL BY MY PRIVATE COMPUTER.I HAVE LITTLE TIME SO I HAVE COMMITTED IT TO SPREADING MY WEALTH TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR MANKIND BECAUSE THIS WILL BE WHAT MY HUSBAND WANTED. I AM CURRENTLY BEING ATTENDED TO BY A PRIVATE NURSE AT MY ABODE. I HAVE EARMARKED SOME FUNDS FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND TO UPGRADE AND BUILD A NEW CANCER RESEARCH FACILITY WHERE I WAS BEING TREATED UP TO A FEW MONTHS AGO.THIS WILL PROVIDE BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR OTHER CANCER PATIENTS.
I DONT KNOW YOU, I WAS ABLE TO GET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS THROUGH A
SPECIALISED SOURCE. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS OF WHICH I DONT HAVE TIME TO EXECUTE AT PRESENT SO I AM CONTACTING DIFFERENT INDIVIDU! ALS WITH THE HOPE THAT
YOU WILL CARRY OUT MY INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY. BEFORE THE
DEATH OF MY HUSBAND HE DEPOSITED ABOUT US$9 MILLION IN CURRENCY AND GOLD WITH A FINANCIAL COMPANY. ALL DOCUMENTS AND PAPERWORKS ARE WITH MY LAWYER. I
WANT YOU TO TAKE CUSTODY OF THE DEPOSIT, AND USE THE MONEY TO BUILD AN
ORPHANAGE IN YOUR COUNTRY. YOU WILL NAME IT AFTER MY HUSBAND, MUSHARAF PHILLIPS
ORPHANAGE HOME.
I DO NOT WANT ANY OF MY RELATIVES TO BENEFIT FROM OUR LABOUR BECAUSE
MOST OF THEM AVOIDED US WHEN WE WERE STRUGGLING. THEY HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT MY
PRESENT LOCATION. GIVING TO THE POOR AND LESS PRIVILEDGED IS WHAT BEING A
CHRISTIAN IS ABOUT.ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS YOUR ASSURANCE THAT YOU WILL USE THIS FUNDS JUDICIOUSLY AS STATED IN THIS MESSAGE. I AM NOT ABLE TO USE MY LAPTOP
AS OFTEN AS I WILL LIKE DUE TO THE ADVICE GIVEN ME
BY THE DOCTORS. THIS IS ALL FOR NOW.
MAY YOU BE BLESSED.
SARAH WILLAMS

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