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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: mrswilfred_lonah1 <mrswilfred_lonah1@orange.nl>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:12:31 +0100 (CET)
Subject: DONATED FUNDS FOR CHARITIES.


DONATED FUNDS FOR CHARITIES.
Dear Friend,
I wish you a prosperous new year to you and your family.in my search for a reliable and GOD fearing person, and through prayers and pains taking efforts via search I made on the internet on my hospital bed side. I have decided to seek your help in carrying out my last wishes. My name is Mrs. Wilfred Lonah, I'm a 38 years old woman from Sierra- Leone, I was a merchant and owned two businesses in Dubai, and I
was also married with two children.
I have US$6,325,000.00 (Six Million Three Hundred & Twenty-Five Thousand United States Dollars) in a long-term deposit in a financial institution here in Cotonou Benin Republic West Africa. Presently, I'm in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment for Oesophagi Cancer at a Hospital in Cotonou.
I had two children but unfortunately, my husband and my daughter where involved in a plane crash in the Dec, 25th. I am now left with my only son Solomon.
Below is the plane crash Website: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/26/benin.crash/index.html
Note: The reason why I am contacting you is because I have since lost my ability to talk fluently and my doctor have told me that anything can happen during the operation, I want to know if you can arrange for a better hospital over there in your country so that I can come over for a better surgery and also to know if you can take care of my son when I will be undergoing this surgery.
I have decided to give you charge of my US$6,325,000.00 (Six Million Three Hundred & Twenty-Five Thousand United States Dollars) deposited with a financial institution so that you can invest it in a very lucrative business in your country, in case of any eventuality during the surgery operation, my son will have someone to take care of him and a business/funds to inherit for a good future or if this surgery goes well, I will have a business that I can use to take care of my only son.
Please note that this fund is lying with a Financial Institution in Benin West Africa and as I am writing this message to you from my hospital Bed, I am not sure that I will survive this operation but even if I have to die, first I want to secure a future for my only son. My problem now is that I am afraid of people, I don't want my son to suffer or cry as a mother les or a father les that is why I am afraid and I want a GOD fearing or Allah so that this money will be invested as we planned without delay and who will take good
care of my son.
All I WANT FROM YOU IS TO TAKE THE MONEY WITH MY SON AND INVEST IT SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF MY SON IF I DO NOT SURVIVE THIS.I HAVE AGREE TO GIVE YOU 10% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
Please get back to me very fast so that I can tell you what to do. May the good God bless you.
May God Bless you,
Mrs Wilfed Lonah

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