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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: <sheila_johnson22@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2006 09:29:48 -0400
Subject: Hello Dear

Dear Beloved in Christ,

It is by the grace of God that I received Christ,having known the truth,I
had no choice than to do what is lawful and right in the sight of God for
eternal life and in the sight of man for witness of God & his mercies and
glory upon my life.

I am Mrs.Sheila Johnson the wife of Mr Harold Johnson,my husband worked
with the Chevron/Texaco in Kenya for twenty years before he died in the
year2001.We were married for ten years without a child.My Husband died after
a brief illness that lasted for only four days.

Before his death we were both born again Christians.

Since his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my
matrimonial home which the Bible is against.When my late husband was alive
he deposited the sum of US$3.5M.(Three Million Five Hundred Thousand
U.S.Dollars) with a Bank in Europe.Presently,this money is still with the
Bank and the management
just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to sign for the release of
this money or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive
it on my behalf if I can not come over.

Presently,I'm in a hospital in Kenya where I have been undergoing treatment
for esophageal cancer.I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors
have told me that I have only a few weeks to live.It is my last wish to see
this money distributed to charity organizations anywhere in the
World.Because relatives and friends have plundered so much of my wealth
since my illness,I cannot live with the agony of entrusting this huge
responsibility to any of them.

Please,I beg you in the name of God to help me Stand and collect the Funds
from the Bank.

I want a person that is God fearing that will use this money to fund
churches,orphanages and widows propagating the word of God and to ensure
that the house of God is maintained.

The Bible made us to understand that blessed is the hand that giveth.I took
this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money
and my husband's relatives are not Christians and I don't want my husband's
hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers.I don't want a situation
where this money will be used in an ungodly manner.Hence the reason for
taking this bold decision.I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am
going.I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Lord.

Exodus{14 VS14}says that the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my
peace.I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my
soundless voice and presence of my husband's relatives around me always.I
don't want them to know about this development. With God all things are
possible.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of my attorney
who is in Europe as he will be the one to assist you in laying claims for
this funds.

Kindly send your reply to my private email address which is as follows:
sheila_johnson1@excite.com

Your Sister in Christ,


Mrs.Sheila Johnson.


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