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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: "adam smith" <adamsmith101@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 06 Nov 2005 02:07:53 +0000
Subject: HELP NEEDED

Dearly Beloved

  It is by the grace of the Lord that I send you this letter ,Having
known
the truth, I had no choice than to do what is lawful and right in the
sight
of The Lord for eternal life and in the sight of man for witness of
Gods
mercy and glory upon my life.
I am Mrs Melissa A.Smith Pointer the wife of Mr Adam Smith Harry Pointer,
my husband
worked
with the Chevron/Texaco in Kenya for Fifteen years before he died in
the
year 2003. We were married for ten years without a child. My Husband
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 US $3.5M. (Three Million Five Hundred Thousand
U.S.
Dollars) with a Bank in Europe.Presently, this money is still with the
Bank
and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to
sign
for the release of this money or rather issue a letter of authorization
to
somebody to receive it on my behalf if I can not come over.
  Presently, I'm in a hospital in Kenya where I have been undergoing
treatment for esophageal cancer. I have since lost my ability to talk
and my
doctors have told me that I have only a few weeks to live. It is my
last
wish to see this money distributed to charity organizations any where
in the
World. Because relatives and friends have plundered so much of my
wealth
since my illness, I cannot live with the agony of entrusting this huge
responsibility to any of
them. Please, I beg you in the name of God to help me Stand and collect
the
Funds from the Bank.
  I want a person that is God fearing that will use this money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows propagating the word of God and to
ensure
that the house of God is maintained.It is said 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.I don't
need
any telephone communication in this regard because of my soundless
voice and
presence of my husband's relatives around  me always.
  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
Attorney who is in Europe as he will be the one to assist you in laying 
claims for this funds.
Thanks for your anticipated cooperation
You can contact me via: a.smith@lancsmail.com
Yours Ever.
Melissa A.Smith  Pointer.
 
 

 

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