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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: "Farah Amin" <farahproject2005@msn.com>
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 12:54:11 +0000
Subject: FROM: MRS.ESTHER FARAH AMIN

FROM: MRS.ESTHER FARAH AMIN

DEAR FRIEND,

I AM THE ABOVE NAMED PERSON BUT NOW UNDERGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT NOW.
I AM MARRIED TO DR. AMIN WHO WORKED WITH SOUTH AFRICA EMBASSY IN MALAYSIA
FOR NINE YEARS BEFORE HE DIED IN THE YEAR 2002. WE WERE MARRIED FOR ELEVEN
YEARS WITHOUT A CHILD. HE DIED AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS THAT LASTED FOR ONLY
FOUR DAYS. BEFORE HIS DEATH WE WERE BOTH BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS. SINCE HIS
DEATH I DECIDED NOT TO RE-MARRY OR GET A CHILD OUTSIDE MY MATRIMONIAL HOME,
WHICH THE BIBLE IS AGAINST. WHEN MY LATE HUSBAND WAS ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE
SUM OF $27.6MILLION (TWENTY-SEVEN MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S.DOLLARS)
WITH ONE FINANCE/SECURITY COMPANY ABROAD.

PRESENTLY, THIS MONEY IS STILL WITH THE SECURITY
COMPANY.RECENTLY, MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NOT LAST FOR THE NEXT THREE
MONTHS DUE TO CANCER PROBLEM.
THOUGH WHAT DISTURBS ME MOST IS MY STROKE. HAVING KNOWN MY CONDITION I
DECIDED TO DONATE THIS FUND TO CHURCH OR BETTER STILL A CHRISTIAN INDIVIDUAL
THAT WILL UTILIZE THIS MONEY THE WAY I AM GOING TO INSTRUCT HERE IN. I WANT
A CHURCH OR INDIVIDUAL THAT WILL USE THIS TO FUND CHURCHES, ORPHANAGES AND
WIDOWS PROPAGATING THE WORD OF GOD AND TO ENSURE THAT THE HOUSE OF GOD IS
MAINTAINED. THE BIBLE MADE US TO UNDERSTAND THAT
BLESSED IS THE HAND THAT GIVETH.

I TOOK THIS DECISION BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY CHILD THAT WILL INHERIT THIS
MONEY AND MY HUSBAND RELATIVES ARE NOT CHRISTIANS AND I DON'T WANT MY
HUSBAND'S HARD EARNED MONEY TO BE MISUSED BY UNBELIEVERS. I DON'T WANT A
SITUATION WHERE THIS MONEY WILL BE USED IN AN UNGODLY MANNER, HENCE THE
REASON FOR TAKING THIS BOLD DECISION. I AM NOT AFRAID OF DEATH HENCE I KNOW
WHERE I AM GOING. I KNOW THAT I AM GOING TO BE IN THE BOSOM OF THE
LORD.EXODUS 14 VS 14 SAYS THAT THE LORD WILL FIGHT MY CASE AND I SHALL HOLD
MY PEACE. I DON'T NEED ANY TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION IN THIS REGARD BECAUSE OF
MY HEALTH, AND BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF MY HUSBAND'S RELATIVES AROUND ME
ALWAYS WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIAN. I DON'T WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT THIS
DEVELOPMENT.

WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY I SHALL
GIVE YOU THE CONTACT OF THE FINANCE/SECURITY COMPANY ABROAD I WILL ALSO
ISSUE YOU A LETTER OF AUTHORITY THAT WILL EMPOWER YOU AS THE ORIGINAL-
BENEFICIARY OF THIS FUND. I WANT YOU AND THE CHURCH TO ALWAYS PRAY FOR ME
BECAUSE THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.
MY HAPPINESS IS THAT I LIVED A LIFE OF A WORTHY
CHRISTIAN.

WHOEVER THAT WANTS TO SERVE THE LORD MUST SERVE HIM IN
SPIRIT AND TRUTH PLEASE ALWAYS BE PRAYERFUL ALL
THROUGH YOUR LIFE. ANY DELAY IN YOUR REPLY WILL GIVE ME ROOM IN SOURCING FOR
A CHURCH OR CHRISTIAN INDIVIDUAL FOR THIS SAME PURPOSE.

PLEASE ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY AS I STATED HEREIN.

HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU.

REMAIN BLESSED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD,

MRS. ESTHER FARAH AMIN.


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