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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: "Dr wolak Rakan" <dr.wolrak@latinmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 18:49:33 +0100 (CET)
Subject: HELLO


HELLO,
MY GREETING TO YOU,
I AM A CITIZEN OF ALBANIA,BUT RESIDE IN IVORY COAST.I AM DR.WOLAK RAKAN=
BY NAME AND I AM OVER 70 YEARS OLD. I WAS BORN AN ORPHAN. I WAS ABANDO=
NED IN THE STREET OF ALBANIA AT THE TENDER AGE OF 2 YEARS. I HAVE NO F=
ATHER OR MOTHER AND I HAVE NO RELATIVES. AS A YOUNG ORPHAN, I STRUGGLED=
AND WORKED HARD AND ALMIGHTY GOD BLESSED ME ABUNDANTLY WITH RICHES.
=20
BEFORE I FELL SICK I USED TO BE A MAJOR DEALER IN GOLD AND DIAMONDS. I =
HARD BUSINESS IN RUSSIA, UKRAINE, SAHARAWI ARAB DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC {SA=
DR} AND EGYPT.BUT DUE TO MY ILLNESS MY COMPANIES WHERE LIQUIDATED AND S=
OLD 3 YEARS BACK. MY DEAR, I AM NOW OLD AND SICK, BUT I AM NOT A HAPPY =
MAN.I HAVE NO WIFE AND I HAVE NO CHILDREN.I DID NOT GET MARRIED DUE TO =
A PERSONAL HEALTH REASON I CANNOT DISCLOSE TO YOU. FOR 4 YEARS NOW I AM=
SERIOUSLY SICK.I AM PRESENTLY SUFFERING FROM LUNG CANCER AND I HAD A H=
EART ATTACK WHICH HAS AFFECTED MY SPEACH AND MY BODY IS PARALYSED. THE =
DOCTORS SAY I HAVE ABOUT FEW MONTHS LEFT TO LIVE.
=20
I SEND YOU THIS MAIL WITH THE HELP OF MY PRIVATE NURSE/CARE TAKER, ASSI=
STING ME. I CAN ONLY MOVE MY RIGHT HAND, AND I AM ABLE TO WRITE LITTLE =
WITH IT WITH A SPECIAL WRITING PAD FROM MY WHEEL CHAIR. WHAT I HAVE WRI=
TTEN IS BEEN SENT TO YOU VIA EMAIL BY MY PRIVATE NURSE AND CARE TAKER.I=
HAVE LITTLE TIME SO I HAVE COMMITTED IT TO SPREADING MY REMAINING WEAL=
TH TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR MANKIND AND ESPECIALLY ABANDONED CHIL=
DREN. MY CONTACTING YOU IS OF MY OWN FREE WILL. I DONT KNOW YOU, BUT DU=
E TO MY CONDITION AND AS DIRECTED BY MY MIND, I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT=
YOU.
=20
MY MIND AND MY HEART SAYS THAT I MUST CONTACT A TOTAL STRANGER TO CARRY=
OUT THIS WISH. THIS I HAVE DONE.I AM THERFORE CONTACTING YOU WITH THE H=
OPE THAT YOU WILL CARRY OUT MY WISH FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY. I HAVE TH=
E SUM OF 18.2 MILLION US DOLLAR DEPOSITED WITH A TRUST FINANCE COMPANY.=
I WANT YOU TO TAKE CUSTODY OF THE FUND AND USE THE MONEY TO BUILD AN OR=
PHANAGE OR FOSTER HOME IN YOUR COUNTRY.
=20
IF YOU ARE READY TO DO THIS AND CARRY OUT MY WISH,THEN SEND ME
=20
[1]YOUR FULL NAMES
[2]YOUR PHONE/FAX NUMBER
[3]YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
[4]AND YOUR IDENTITY TO PROVE TO ME THAT YOU CAN CARRY OUT MY WISH AS H=
AVE MENTIONED EARLIER.
=20
WITH THE HELP OF MY PRIVATE NURSE I WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU.
=20
I AWAIT YOUR REPLY.
SINCERELY,
DR.WOLAK RAKAN


Un 2007 de Ins=F3lito, Deporte, Cine o Belleza... =A1Feliz Navidad! htt=
p://pan.starmedia.com/especiales/navidad07/portada/index.html

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