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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "LARRY MOORE" <larrymoore04@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 02 Oct 2005 07:38:58 +0000
Subject: HELLO.

Dear Beloved,

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not
yet met. I have to say that I have no intentions of causing you any pains.
As you read this,

I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die
someday. My name is Larry Moore, a merchant in Dubai, in the U.A.E. I have
been diagnosed with prostate and oesophageal cancer that was discovered very
late due to my laxity in caring for my health. It has defied all forms of
medicine and right now, I have only about a few months to live according to
medical experts.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for
anyone not even myself but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never
generous, I was always hostile to people and only focus on my business as
that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know
that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money
in the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this
world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now
that I know my time is near, I have willed and given most of my properties
and assets to my immediate and extended family members and as well as a few
close friends. I have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I
want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth.

So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the U.A.E,
London and Ireland. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot
do this my self any more. I once asked members of my family to close one of
my accounts and donate the money, which I have there to charity
organizations in Bulgaria, they refused and kept the money to themselves.
Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contented with
what I have left for them.

The last of my money which is the huge cash deposit that I have with a
security firm abroad .I will want you to help me collect this deposit and
dispatch it to charity organizations. I am writing this from my laptop
computer in my hospital bed where I wait for my time to come.

Yours Faithfully,
Larry Moore.


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