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

Fraud email example:

From: Miguel Rodriguez <mywish206@mail.ru>
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:26:40 +0400
Subject: Let`s do this for charity.


Dear Friend,

Best of the day to you and hope this meets you well.
Please I do not want you to feel sorry for me as you read
this message, because I believe everyone will die someday.
My name is Miguel A. Rodriguez of the Philipines, I have been
diagnosed with an aggressive Esophageal (Throat) Cancer for
a few years and my time is very near according to my
doctors.

This ailment has defied all forms of medical treatment, and
right now I have only about a few months to live according
to medical experts. I am really bothered because I have not
particularly lived my life so well to the interest of
humanity, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself)
but my business and money.

But now I regret all these 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 one never knows until he or
she is given me a second chance, as I cheated death
during my last operation where I finally lost my ability to
talk.

I want to atone for my past and die in peace knowing that I
have contributed somehow to humanity from my wealth, so I have
decided to give donations 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 some
countries in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.

Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot
do this by myself anymore, hence my need for someone
trust worthy to help me out. I once asked some relatives
to close one of my accounts and distribute the money to
some charity organizations but I later found that 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 given to them by my
free will. I now want to donate the last of my treasure
which no one knows about, it is a large cash deposit running
into millions of united states dollars presently lodged at a
depository abroad. I will give you further specifics on your
reply and indication of your readiness to take up this
assignment.

I will want you to help, by working with me to collect
this deposit and distribute it to truly committed Charity
Organizations. You will be very well compensated for your
carrying out this assignment, you will be rewarded with a
sum that will be agreed on by both of us on declaration
of your readiness to help carry out my last wish.

If you are willing to help, please reply ONLY to the
following email address:( migroddi@doramail.com ) as I dont
think the one I am mailing from now is very secure anymore.

Even if you do not wish to assist me through this, please
be kind enough to let me know so that I can find someone
else. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,

Miguel A. Rodriguez.

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