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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: "Mrs. Fatima Usman" <fa.usman1515@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <fa_usman00@myway.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:00:53 +0200
Subject: FROM MRS.FATIMA USMAN ( BENEFIT FROM YOUR HONESTY).



DEAR BRETHRENS, PLEASE DO THIS FAVOUR FOR ME AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED AND REWARDED I AM MRS. FATIMA USMAN A WIDOW TO LATE MR.SHEIK USMAN , I AM 62 YEARS OLD, I AM NOW A NEWLY CONVERTED CHRISTIAN , SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THE BREAST. FROM ALL INDICATIONS, MY CONDITION IS REALLY DETERIORATING AND IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT I WON'T LIVE MORE THAN 3 MONTHS ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS DIAGNOSIS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER STAGE HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE, MY LATE HUSBAND WAS KILLED DURING THE U.S. RAID AGAINST TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN, AND DURING THE PERIOD OF OUR MARRIAGE WE COULDN'T PRODUCE ANY CHILD, MY LATE HUSBAND WAS VERY WEALTHY AND AFTER HIS DEATH, I INHERITED ALL HIS BUSINESS AND WEALTH. THE DOCTORS HAS ADVISED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN 3 MONTHS, SO I NOW DECIDED TO DIVIDE PART OF THIS WEALTH TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH IN AFRICA, AMERICA, ASIA AND EUROPE. I SELECTED YOU AFTER VISITING THE WEBSITE AND I PRAYED OVER IT THAT GOD SHOULD DIRECT ME, NOW I AM WILLING TO DONATE THE SUM OF US$10,000.000.00 TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED. PLEASE I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT THIS FUND IS LYING DOWN AT A SECURITY COMPANY IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION. I HONESTLY PRAY THAN THIS MONEY WHEN TRANSFERRED WILL SURELY BE UTILIZED FOR THE SAID PURPOSE, BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT WEALTH ACQUISITION WITHOUT CHRIST IS VANITY, MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH THIS EMAIL [ fa_usman@myway.com] FOR MORE DIRECTIVES FOR THE CLAIM. I WAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY. YOURS SINCERELY, MRS. FATIMA USMAN
_________________________________________________________________
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