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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: "confidential mail" <mail.1@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: frankjames2020@googlemail.com
Date: Sat, 17 May 2008 06:32:19 -0700
Subject: DEAR FRIEND.


DEAR FRIEND.



LET US DO A GOOD WORK AND HELP THE LIVES OF THE SUFFERING, IF SERIOUSLY
INTERESTED I AM WRITING THIS MAIL TO YOU IN GOOD FAITH,MY NAME IS MR FRANK
JAMES FROM NEW ZEALAND.

I USED TO WORK WITH SHELL PETROLEUM IN GHANA, WHERE I AM PRESENTLY
UNDERGOING TREATMENT AND WAS ALSO A MAJOR INVESTOR IN OFFSHORE OIL RIGGS
UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I WAS CRIPPLED BY STROKE WHICH LEFT HALF PART OF MY BODY
PARALYSED AND ALSO I HAD UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE EYE SURGERY WHICH HAS RESULTED
INTO POOR VISION.

FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A MIRACLE,A SPIRITUAL
CURE ALL TO NO AVAIL. RECENTLY MY DOCTOR GAVE ME VERY BAD NEWS WHICH IS VERY
DISTURBING TO MY EARS,HE SAID THAT IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS TIME THAT I WILL
SOON DIE OF MY ILLNESS,I HAVE NO CLOSE RELATIVE AROND AND THE ONLY ONE I
HAVE WHICH HAPPENS TO BE A DISTANT COUSIN OF MINE MRS LINDA LEFLER LEFT FOR
AUSTRALIA 10 YEARS AGO AND SINCE THEN I HAVEN'T SEEN HER NEITHER DO I HAVE
HER POSTAL ADDRESS.I HAVE SURRENDERED MY LIFE TO GOD AND I AM NOW A BORN
AGAIN,I WANT TO DO A GOOD DEED BEFORE I DEPART HENCE MY CONTACTING YOU.

I WILL WANT TO SET UP ORPHANAGES IN MY NAME AND ALSO DONATE THE REST OF MY
WEALTH TO THE MISSIONARY OR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND FOR THE NEEDY SINCE
THE WEALTH WOULD NOT BE USEFULL FOR ME WHEN I AM GONE.I AM SEEKING FOR WHO
WOULD BE WILLING TO DILLIGENTLY CARRY OUT THIS WILL OF GOD FOR ME WHICH IS
THE REASON I AM CONTACTING.

MY ACCOUNT BALANCE PRESENTLY TOTALLING $32,500,000.00 AS WAS REFLECTED IN
MY LAST STATEMENT ACCOUNT FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT I HAVE IN GHANA AND I HAVE
WISH TO USE THIS FUND TO FINANCE THIS PROJECT AS I DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME
LEFT,YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 25% OF THESE FUNDS FOR YOUR GOOD WORK AND PUT
THE REST INTO THE CHURCH AND CHARITABLE RGANIZATIONS,WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED
OF YOU IS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BANK FOR THESE FUNDS TO BE TRANSFERED BUT
THE FIRST THING I WILL REQUIRE FROM YOU IS TO GIVE YOUR LIFE TO GOD,RIGHT
NOW I AM CONFINED TO AN AUTOMATED WHEEL CHAIR IN THE TEACHING HOSPITAL AND
THE INTERNET IS THE ONLY MEANS I HAVE IN COMMUNICATING WITH THE OUTSIDE
WORLD.

I PRESUME THAT YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON TO MEET REGARDING SUCH ISSUE AS I DO
NOT KNOW WHETHER TO GO TO ANOTHER PARTY,PLEASE SEND ME A MAIL IF YOU ARE
WILLING TO ASSIST ME ON THIS AND ALSO INCLUDE YOUR CELLPHONE,PHONE AND FAX
NUMBERS TO ENABLE MYSEF CALL YOU WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NURSE HERE WHO
HAS BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO ASSIST ME,I WANT YOU TO SEND YOUR RESPONSE AS I AM
EAGERLY EXPECTING YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE TO MY MAIL.

AS SOON AS I RECIEVE A RESPONSE FROM YOU I SHALL ADVICE MY LAWYER FROM MY
HOSPITAL TO PROCEED IMMEDAITELY TO MY BANK FOR THE PROCCESSING OF THE
TRANSFER, EVERY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS FUND OVER TO YOU INCLUDING
ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR ONWARD TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT SO THAT YOU CAN
COMMENCE ON THIS WORK OF GOD FOR ME AS I AM DISABLED AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
MOVE AROUND AND DO MUCH.

REMAIN BLESSED,
MR.FRANK JAMES

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