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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: "MADAM SARAH EMERSON" <mouston2004@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:52:44 -1000
Subject: HUMANITARIAN CALL.

Hello

Getting your contact was not an easy task because since I am
not computer literate, I ordered an expert
to seek a fellow very far away and he went to the institute
of International Business to apply and he paid
them the charges to have been able to get your email
address.I am Lady Sarah , married to Sir Luke Emerson
an Englsih Man who is dead; he died in a train bomb blast
in Spain when he was going for his medical check
up in 2004.Please copy and paste this Internet link for more
information on the incident

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4340881.stm

Our life together as man and wife lasted for three decades
without a child. My husband and I made a vow to
uplift the down-trodden and the less-privileged.I can adduce
this to the fact that he needed a Child from this
relationship,which never came. When my late husband was
alive he made a safe deposit of 3 Million Great British
Pounds which were derived from his vast estates and
investment in capital market with security company here in
Europe.Recently, my Doctor told me that I have limited days
to live due to the cancerous problems I am suffering
from.

I have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to
use this gift which comes from my husband's effort to
fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans, destitute, and
persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped
financially.Being aware of the bourgeois religion of my
relatives and the misused of his previous investment
and ventures. I have decided to put smile on the face of the
less privileged.

I can be reached with my private
email:mouston2004@hotmail.com

Sincerely Yours,
Sarah Emerson

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