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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: Smyser Bridget <smyserprivate@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2006 03:23:54 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: can i trust you? Please Reply ASAP


Beloved Friend,
Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mrs. Bridget Smyser from Holland.I am married to Dr.Craig Smyser a Kenya who worked with a construction company in Amsterdam for twenty Years before he died in a fatal accident, we were married but without Any children. Since his death I decided not to remarry and presently I am 70 Years old. When my late husband was Alive
he deposited the sum of $9.5M. (Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S.
Dollars) with a Security Company. Presently this money is still with the Security Company and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather Issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf if I cannot come over. I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment Cancer of the lungs in a hospital, I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live. I want a person that is trustworthy that will utilize at least 65% of this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows around the world but in my name Mrs. Bridget Smyser As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Security Company. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the new beneficiary of this fund.
Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated here in and Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get to your Custody. This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth. I await your urgent reply. God Bless You

Mother Mrs. Bridget Smyser.
__________________________________________________
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