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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: "Sarah Garuba" <convenantchild@terra.com.mx>
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 22:59:52 -0600
Subject: Hello Dear!


Hello Richelle,
thaanks for your mail .I hope that you will understand me .Please i am sick,can not move round ,always in hospital becouse of cancer and stroke and doctors tell me i will die soon so i want you to please use this money and donate to poor and children without father and mother because i don't have children who will take our wealth. my husband is dead and i will die soon .I want to do this so God will take me to his kingdom where i will have rest forever.This money as i told you my husband put it in security company and no body knows abaut it.I will tell my lawyer to transfer the documents to your name and he will help you to get the money from the security company he is a good person.my husband family are bad people and they are always in the hospital waiting for me to die so they can take our properties and that is why i want you to do this for me and for God.Please if you understand me reply me so that i can give the Lawyers phone numbers and email address to you so that you can talk to him.I want this money to get to you in the next one week.Please i can not talk on phone becouse my husband family are always around me and the doctors do not want me to do anything becouse of my healt but i,will always write to you anytime i am strong.I am waiting to hear from you so that i can give you my lawyers contact.
Finally the Bible says that we should not allow our left hand to know what our right hand is giving, so keep every thing to your self as i do not want to be praised by men i only want to make my ways right before God almighty. I must tell, not even my lawyer should know ,why i am transfering everything to you because my decision is between me and God, so keep it queite and my God will bless you.
Regards,
Sarah G.

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