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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: "DONATION FOR CHARITY" <harrybhn@aol.co.uk>
Reply-To: harrybhn1@aol.co.uk
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2007 23:54:02 -0700
Subject: DONATION

DEAR FRIEND,

I KNOW WE HAVE NEVER MET BEFORE, BUT I WANT YOU TO PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME AND READ MY EMAIL CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU RESPOND TO MY LAWYER FOR ASSISTANCE,I AM BRITISH CITIZEN CURRENTLY LIVING IN DUBAI IN THE U.A.E, AND I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ESOPHAGEAL CANCER WHICH WAS
DISCOVERED VERY LATE, DUE TO MY LAXITY IN CARING FOR MY HEALTH. IT HAS DEFILED ALL FORMS OF MEDICINE, AND RIGHT NOW I HAVE ONLY ABOUT A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE, ACCORDING TO MEDICAL EXPERTS.

I HAVE NEVER PARTICULARLY LIVE MY LIFE SO WELL,AS I NEVER REALLY CARED FOR ANYONE NOT EVEN MYSELF BUT MY BUSINESS.THOUGH I AM VERY RICH, BUT WAS NEVER GENEROUS,I WAS ALWAYS HOSTILE TO PEOPLE AND I ONLY FOCUS ON MY BUSINESS AS THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I CARED FOR.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 I SECOND CHANCE TO COME TO THIS WORLD I WOULD LIVE MY LIFE IN A DIFFRENT WAY FROM HOW I HAVE LIVED BEFORE. I HAVE WILLED AND GIVEN MOST OF MY PROPERTIES AND ASSETS TO MY IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED FAMILY AND AS WELL AS FEW CLOSE FRIENDS.

I HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE ALMS TO CHARITY ORGANISATIONS, AS I WANT THIS TO BE ONE OF THE LAST GOOD DEEDS I DID ON EARTH.SO FAR,I HAVE DISTRIBUTED MONEY TO SOME CHARITY ORGANISATIONS IN THE U.A.E ALGERIA AND MALAYSIA.NOW THAT MY HEALTH HAS DETERIORATED SO BADLY,I CANNOT DO THIS MYSELF ANYMORE.

I ONCED ASKED MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO CLOSE ONE OF MY ACCOUNTS AND DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS WHICH I HAVE THERE TO CHARITY ORGANISATION 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 HUGE CASH DEPOSIT OF SIXTEEN MILLION DOLLARS ($16,000,000.00) WITH BANK IN EUROPE. I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU CAN BE OF GOOD HELP TO DISPATCH THIS FUND TO CHARITY ORGANISATIONS AND HELPLESS CHILDREN AROUND YOUR COMUNITY.

IF YES SEND YOUR RESPONSES TO ME WITH THE EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW, I DON'T WANT TELEPHONE CALLS IN THIS TRANSACTION BUT IF I HAVE ANY CHANCE I WE CALL YOU, THIS BECAUSE MY FAMILY ARE ARROUND ME MOST TIMES, IMMEDIATELY I RECEIVE YOUR RESPONSES I WE PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION AND CONTACT OF THE BANK TO ENABLE YOU CALL THEM AND MAKE CLAIM OF THE FUNDS.

ALL DOCUMENTATIONS TO CLAIM THE FUNDS WILL BE SEND TO YOU IMMEDIATELY YOU CONCLUDE WITH THE BANK. I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE URGENTLY TO CLAIM THIS FUNDS BECAUSE I DID NOT APPOINTMENT ANY NEXT OF KIN.

NOTE PLEASE RESPOND TO ME ONLY ON THIS EMAIL BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY EMAIL:(harrybhn1@aol.co.uk)

I HAVE SET ASIDE 20% FOR YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE.
BEST REGARDS,
MR. HARRY





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