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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: "Stella Dekoya" <stelladekoya@terra.com.mx>
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2006 21:35:34 -0600
Subject: PEACE BE UNOT YOU


HELLO MY DEAR BELOVED BRETHEN

GREETING IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. I AM MRS FATIMA NORA HASSAN, NOW
MRS STELLA DEKOYA, A WIDOW TO LATE SHEIK MADU HARRIS, I AM 41 YEARS OLD,I AM
NOW A NEW CHRISTAIN CONVERT, SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THEBREAST, FROM
ALL INDICATION MY CONDITIONS ISREALLY DETERIORATING AND ITIS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT
I WON'T LIVE MORE THAN THREE MONTHS, ACCORDING TOMY DOCTORS, THIS IS BECAUSE THE
CANCER STAGE HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE.MY LATE HUSBAND KILLED DURING THE
U.S. RAID AGAINST TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN,AND DURING THE PERIOD OF OUR
MARRIAGE WE CULD'NT PRODUCE ANY CHILD.MY LATE HUSBAND WAS VERY WEALTHY AND
AFTER HIS DEATH, I INHERITED ALL HISBUSINESS AND WEALTH. THE DOCTORS HAS
ADVISED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FORMORE THAN THREE MONTHS, SO I NOW DECIDED TO
DEVIDE THE PART OF THIS WEALTH,TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH
IN AFRICA, AMERICA ASIA,AND EUROPE AND ALSO TO HELP THE NEEDLY ONES. I SELECTED
YOU AFTER VISITING THE WEBSITE AND I PRAYED OVERIT,. I AM WILLING TO DONATE THE
SUM OF $12,000.000.00 MD U.S DOLLARS, TOTHE LESS PRIVILEGED. PLEASE I WANT YOU
TO NOTE THAT FUND IS LYING IN A BANK AND UPON MY INSTRUCTION, MY ATTORNEY, WHO
PRESENTLY IS IN AFRICADISTRIBUTING RELIEFMATERIALS TO OF BOMBLAST IN
SLERRA-LEONE, WILL FILEIN AN APPLICATION FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY IN YOUR
NAME.LASTLY, I HONESTLY PRAY THAT THIS MONEY WHEN TRANSFERRED WILL BE SURE
FORTHE SAID PURPOSE, BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT WEALTH
ACQUISITIONWITHOUT CHRIST IS VANITY. MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS THE LOVE
OF GODAND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY I AWAIT URGENT
REPLY.

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