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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: sarah scotts <sarah1942scoth@netscape.net>
Reply-To: sarah1942scotts@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 11:00:59 +0100
Subject: How was your day?


DEAR BELOVETH FRIEND,
I AM SARAH SCOTTS, FORMERLY SARAH FADIRAT
EL-KANEMI, I AM 63 YEARS OLD. I BECAME A CITIZEN OF
SAUDI ARABIA DUE TO MARRIAGE, BUT I AM PRESENTLY IN
BUPA HOSPITAL IN UK WHICH PROBABLY MIGHT BE MY FINAL
RESTING PLACE. I WAS BORN AN ORPHAN IN 1942. I HAVE NO
FATHER OR MOTHER, AND I HAVE NO RELATIVES. I WAS
BLESSED TO HAVE MARRIED A HUMBLE AND KIND MAN, DR.
MUSHARAF EL-KANEMI, WE BOTH BECAME CHRISTIANS AND
CHANGED OUR LAST NAMES AND HE LATER BECAME MUSHARAF
SCOTTS. WE BOTH STRUGGLED AND WORKED HARD AND THE
ALMIGHTY BLESSED US ABUNDANTLY WITH RICHES. HE WAS A
DEALER IN GOLD, DIAMONDS AND TANTALITE.
I AM NOW OLD AND SICK WITHOUT A HUSBAND AND CHILDREN.
THIS HAS MADE ME UNHAPPY. I HAVE NOT RE-MARRIED DUE TO
THE FACT THAT I WANT TO CHERISH MY HUSBAND'S MEMORIES.
FOR 2 YEARS NOW I HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY SICK. I AM
PRESENTLY IN HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM CANCER AND I HAD
A STROKE, WHICH HAS AFFECTED MY SPEECH. THE LEFT SIDE
OF MY BODY IS PARALYSED. THE DOCTORS SAY I HAVE A FEW
MONTHS LEFT TO LIVE. I CAN ONLY MOVE MY RIGHT HAND,
AND I AM ABLE TO WRITE LITTLE WITH IT WHAT I HAVE
WRITTEN IS BEEN SENT TO YOU VIA EMAIL THROUGH MY PRIVATE
COMPUTER.
I HAVE LITTLE TIME SO I HAVE COMMITTED IT TO SPREADING
MY WEALTH TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR MANKIND
BECAUSE THIS WILL BE WHAT MY HUSBAND WANTED. I AM
CURRENTLY BEING ATTENDED TO BY A PRIVATE NURSE AT MY
ABODE, WHO IS ATTENDING TO ME. I HAVE EARMARKED SOME FUNDS FOR THE
MANAGEMENT AND TO UPGRADE AND BUILD A NEW CANCER RESEARCH FACILITY WHERE
I WAS BEING TREATED UP TO A FEW MONTHS AGO.
THIS WILL PROVIDE BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR OTHER
CANCER PATIENTS.I DONT KNOW YOU, I WAS ABLE TO GET
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS THROUGH A SPECIALISED SOURCE. THERE
ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS OF WHICH I DONT HAVE TIME TO
EXECUTE AT PRESENT SO I AM CONTACTING DIFFERENT
INDIVIDUALS WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CARRY OUT MY
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY. BEFORE THE
DEATH OF MY HUSBAND HE DEPOSITED ABOUT US$29 MILLION IN
CURRENCY AND GOLD WITH A FINANCIAL COMPANY. ALL
DOCUMENTS AND PAPERWORKS ARE WITH MY LAWYER. I WANT
YOU TO TAKE CUSTODY OF THE DEPOSIT, AND USE THE MONEY
TO BUILD AN ORPHANAGE IN YOUR COUNTRY. YOU WILL NAME
IT AFTER MY HUSBAND, MUSHARAF SCOTTS ORPHANAGE HOME.
I DO NOT WANT ANY OF HIS RELATIVES TO BENEFIT FROM OUR
LABOUR BECAUSE MOST OF THEM AVOIDED US WHEN WE WERE
STRUGGLING. THEY HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT MY PRESENT
LOCATION. GIVING TO THE POOR AND LESS PRIVILEDGED IS
WHAT'S BEING A CHRISTIAN ALL IS ABOUT.
ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS YOUR ASSURANCE THAT YOU WILL
USE THESE FUNDS JUDICIOUSLY AS STATED IN THIS MESSAGE. HOWEVER, I WOULD
WANT YOU TO TAKE 10% OF THE TOTAL FUND, FOR YOUR EFFORT.
I AM NOT ABLE TO USE MY LAPTOP AS OFTEN AS I WILL LIKE
DUE TO THE ADVICE GIVEN ME BY THE DOCTORS. THIS IS ALL
FOR NOW. MAY YOU BE BLESSED?
YOURS BELOVETH,
MRS SARAH SCOTTS.

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