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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: "Madam Gloria Caldwell" <madamgloria16@klikni.cz>
Reply-To: madamgloriacaldwell@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 26 May 2008 19:01:08 -0700
Subject: (Please Read Carefully) From Madam Gloria Caldwell.


Dear beloved friend,

I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you, I came across
your email contact from my personal search and I instructed the doctor here
in this hospital to help me email you and I believe that you will be honest
to fulfill my final wish before I will die.


I am Madam. Gloria Caldwell from LONDON, I am 58 years old, I am deaf and
suffering from a long time cancer of the breast, which also affected my
brain.From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my
doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next two
months, this is because the cancer stage has reached a critical stage. I was
brought up in a motherless babys home, and was married to my late husband
for twenty years without a child. My husband and I are true Christians, but
quite unfortunately,he died in a fatal motor accident.


Since his death I decided not to re-marry, I sold all my inherited
belongings and deposited all the sum of $3.2million dollars with a Bank.
Presently, this money is still in the BANK, and the management just wrote me
as the Legitimate beneficiary to come forward to receive the money after
keeping it for so long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody
to receive it on my behalf since I can not come over as a result of my
illness, or they get it confiscated. Presently, I'm with my laptop in a
hospital where I have been undergoing treatment.


I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I
have only a few months to live. It is my last wish to see that this money is
invested in any organization of your choice and distributed each year among
the charity organization, the poor and the motherless babys home where I
come from. I want your good humanitarian,to also use t his money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows around. I must let you know that this was a
very hard decision, but I had to take a bold step towards this issue because
I have no further option. I hope you will help see my last wishes come true.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the BANK. I
will also issue you a letter of authority, which will prove that you are the
new beneficiary of my funds.


Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein.


Hope to hear from you soonest.

Awaiting your reply

Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Gloria Caldwell

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