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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: "victoria moore" <vicme223@rediffmail.com>
Date: 11 Aug 2007 08:26:04 -0000
Subject: USE THIS FUND TO BLESS THE POOR


Compliment Of The Day,




I am sure this mail would be coming to you as a surprise, well I am&nbsp; Victoria.C.Moore, wife of Late Sir Albert Ellen Moore an Irish citizen who died in the aftermath of the political crisis in Lome, Togo Aged 68, I got your information from a business directory at the British Chamber of Commerce and Industries when I was searching through for a foreigner that will be trusted.&nbsp;I have been sick and bedridden; I am infected with cancer as you may know is a terminal disease. Presently, my speech capacity has been seriously impaired. &nbsp;As you read this, I do not want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday because according to medical experts I will not live long since my ailment has defiled all forms of medical treatment; so I have decided to accept my fate while dedicating the rest of my life to the service of God by rendering service to humanity on behalf of my husband whom I will be joining shortly,While alive, my husband and I have not particularly lived our life so well, as we never really cared for anyone (not even ourselves) but business. Though we were very rich but never generous, always hostile to people and only focused on business as that was the only thing we cared for.&nbsp;But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world,I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Wherever my husband is I know he will be happy with my decisions, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends, I have also distributed money to some charity organizations in the Algeria, Sudan, India, Sierra Leone, Cambodia and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself any more.

I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan; they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them,
The last of the funds which no one knows of, is the cash deposit in one of the banks here. I want to know if you can be of good help to dispatch these funds to CHARITY organizations. I have set aside 20% of the total amount $2,000,000.00 (Two million dollars) for you and your time and patience for carrying out this duties. This means you will keep $400,000 (Four hundred thousand dollars) for yourself and donate the rest to any charity organization. May God be with you as you have decided to take a bold step to heal the world with me or even in my demise. I am going in for an operation now, and I dont think I will make it. And this hurts.&nbsp;If you can give me this assistance, you can then contact my lawyer who will assist you in getting the funds to you in my absence if I die or not. He would give you more details. His name is Barr.&nbsp;Thomas Frederich&nbsp;and his email address is: (&nbsp;barthomasfre@aim.com &nbsp;&nbsp;) He would guide you through receiving the funds.&nbsp;
Yours sincerely, Victoria.C.Moore

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