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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: "mr_johnson_moore_56" <mr_johnson_moore_56@terra.com.mx>
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 21:26:43 -0600
Subject: DEAR FRIEND,


DEAR FRIEND,

LET US DO A GOOD WORK AND HELP THE LIVES OF THE SUFFERING CALL ME ON +011 234 80 59 31 72 42 IF SERIOUSLY INTERESTED.
I AM WRITING THIS MAIL TO YOU IN GOOD FAITH,MY NAME IS
MR JOHNSON MOORE FROM NEW ZEALAND.I USED TO WORK WITH SHELL PETROLEUM ,NIGERIA WHERE I AM PRESENTLY UNDERGOING TREATMENT AND WAS ALSO A MAJOR INVESTOR IN OFFSHORE OIL RIGGS UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I WAS CRIPPLED BY STROKE WHICH LEFT HALF PART OF MY BODY PARALYSED AND ALSO I HAD UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE EYE SURGERY WHICH HAS RESULTED INTO POOR VISION.


FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A MIRACLE,A SPIRITUAL CURE ALL TO NO AVAIL. RECENTLY MY DOCTOR GAVE ME VERY BAD NEWS WHICH IS VERY DISTURBING TO MY EARS,HE SAID THAT IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS TIME THAT I WILL SOON DIE OF MY ILLNESS,I HAVE NO CLOSE RELATIVE AROND AND THE ONLY ONE I HAVE WHICH HAPPENS TO BE A DISTANT COUSIN OF MINE MRS LINDA LEFLER LEFT FOR AUSTRALIA 10 YEARS AGO AND SINCE THEN I HAVENT SEEN HER NEITHER DO I HAVE HER POSTAL ADDRESS.


I HAVE SURRENDERED MY LIFE TO GOD AND I AM NOW A BORN AGAIN,I WANT TO DO A GOOD DEED BEFORE I DEPART HENCE MY CONTACTING YOU.I WILL WANT TO SET UP ORPHANAGES IN MY NAME AND ALSO DONATE THE REST OF MY WEALTH TO THE MISSIONARY OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND FOR THE NEEDY SINCE THE WEALTH WOULD NOT BE USEFULL FOR ME WHEN I AM GONE.I AM SEEKING FOR WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO DILLIGENTLY CARRY OUT THIS WILL OF GOD FOR ME WHICH IS THE REASON I AM CONTACTING. MY ACCOUNT BALANCE PRESENTLY TOTALLING $46,828,645.67 AS WAS REFLECTED IN MY LAST STATEMENT ACCOUNT FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT I HAVE IN NIGERIA AND I HAVE WISH TO USE THIS FUND TO FINANCE THIS PROJECT AS I DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT,YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 24% OF THESE FUNDS FOR YOUR GOOD WORK AND PUT THE REST INTO THE CHURCH AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS,WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED OF YOU IS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BANK FOR THESE FUNDS TO BE TRANSFERED BUT THE FIRST THING I WILL REQUIRE FROM YOU IS TO GIVE YOUR LIFE TO GOD,RIGHT NOW I AM CONFINED TO AN AUTOMATED WHEEL CHAIR IN THE TEACHING HOSPITAL AND THE INTERNET IS THE ONLY MEANS I HAVE IN COMMUNICATING WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
I PRESUME THAT YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON TO MEET REGARDING SUCH ISSUE AS I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER TO GO TO ANOTHER PARTY,PLEASE SEND ME A MAIL IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ASSIST ME ON THIS AND ALSO INCLUDE YOUR CELLPHONE,PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS TO ENABLE MYSEF CALL YOU WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NURSE HERE WHO HAS BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO ASSIST ME,I WANT YOU TO SEND YOURRESPONSE AS I AM EAGERLY EXPECTING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE TO MY MAIL.
AS SOON AS I RECIEVE A RESPONSE FROM YOU I SHALL
SEND A CHEQUE FROM MY HOSPITAL OF MY FUNDS TO MY BANK TO TRANSFER EVERY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THS FUND OVER TO YOU INCLUDING ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR ONWARD TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT SO THAT YOU CAN COMMENCE ON THIS WORKOF GOD FOR ME AS I AM DISABLED AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND AND DO MUCH.
YOU CAN ALSO SEND ME A POST THROUGH MY

ADDRESS BELOW.I AM PRSENTLY VERY ILL AND WILL REALLY
APPRECIATE IT FOR YOU TO CALL ME ON +011 234 80511 222 ,I AM BY MY BEDSIDE AND WILL BE AWAITING YOUR CALL AND GET BACK TO ME ON THIS EMAIL ADDRESS AS SOON AS YOU HAVE CALLED THE NUMBER TO LET ME KNOW THAT YOU ARE SENDING ME AN EMAIL TO THIS EMAIL BOX:mrjohnson_moore_56years_old_man@yahoo.com
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING
REMAIN BLESSED
MR JOHNSON MOORE

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