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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: GRACE SMITH <gracesmith@terra.com.mx>
Reply-To: funnygrace4@yahoo.com.br
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 20:43:01 -0700
Subject: GOOD DAY SIR


Good Day Sir,

I’m very sorry to bored you with my E-mail.But I want you to understand that I truely need your asistance to this great offer I’m offering you from the source of my mind.Before anything I want to use this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Grace Smith, I am 22 years old from London England, where I school and work as a tailor. I am the only daughter of my parents. My father died on a fatal motor accident on the 6th March 2001,on his way to see my sick mother at hospital where she was admitted for Cancer treatments, she also gave up when she heard about the news of the death of my father in same day and hospital where she was (Kings Hospital here in the United Kingdom), may their gentel soul rest in perfect peace.

Before the death of my father, he had willed part of his Real Estate and the total amounts of £50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Pounds Sterling) to me.Now at his death, and because things have become very hard for me paying my school fees and taking care of my other needs which the tailoring job I do as a part time after my school couldn't help, so, I went to our Bank where this money was deposited.

I was shocked when the Manager of the Bank explained to me that I will not be able to draw from the money, because my father had put a clause on the will, saying that before I will be given access to the money, I will either have to be 27 years old or above, or I will be given access to the money, if I get married before the age of 27 years, in which case, my husband will be legible to collect the money on my behalf.

But today I am only 22 years. And I have no access to the money till I'm 27 years which is the more reason why I am contacting you to stand as my husband to claim this money on my behalf as a next of kin to my late father with the Bank, If I can trust you, I will need your assistance in this regard please. I will want you to stand in as my own husband even if you are married already you can still claim this money on my behalf because I will provide all necessary documentation of my late father and a marriage certificate between you and I to show the Bank that we're legally married before the British High Court here in United Kingdom.

As soon as I hear from you I will send you the Bank Managers contact information,so you can contact him and demand the payment of your wife's money to you. I will follow it up from here, providing him with the necessary marriage certificate and other documents, to authenticate our union.Should you be interested in helping me, please write back to me.

I hope that we shall discuss how you want remunerated when you get back to me. For my part, I shall be more than willing to part with 35% of the total sum to you while 10% will be mapped out for any expenses to receive the money from the Bank where this was deposited that is to let you know that you will help me both financially and with your honest mind to enable me get the necessary documents that would back p this deal. Please remember that I am writing you this email purely on the ground of trust. While this transaction last, we must be able to put emotions aside and face it, perhaps after everything, we might find a need for that if you are still single.

Waiting to hear from you soon.

Yours Truly,
I will be waiting to hear from you via my private E-mail address: funnygrace4@yahoo.com.br

Grace Smith

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