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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: =?utf-8?q?Precious=20Godswill?= <preciousgodswill@ymail.com>
Reply-To: precious_mark1@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:21:10 +0530 (IST)
Subject: From me Precious


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: preciousgodswill@ymail.com



- Dearest One Compliment of the day. It is my pleasure to use this Opportunity to write you at this time of the day and to bring to your knowledge certain things. Meanwhile, I wouldn’t like this piece of writing or information to meet you in a very bad mood or in a state whereby you won’t give it attention. That is why I would like you to read it with an ecstatic mind so that you will be able to understand it very well. I am Miss Precious God’swill from Dafur Sudan in West Africa. I am 22 years old and the only daughter of late Mr. Mark God’s will, a wealthy and renowned politician and full time contractor in our country while my kid brother Benedict is 18years During the recent political crises in our country our family was attack and looted by unknown assassins. As a result of the attack, my parents were assassinated, the assassins told me that they came purposely for my parents and as a result, they did not touch us. However, the main reason why I am writing you is to let you know that in the month of February, my late father told me in one of our discussions that he deposited a metallic box in a security company in GHANA. He went further to tell me that the box contains the sum of ($185m US Dollar with about 350 kg of gold dust) but that he deposited the box as containing family valuables for security reasons. He told me that I am his NEXT OF KIN and I don’t have right to retrieve the box from the security company because he deposited the box in the favor of his foreign partner But he strongly warned me that I should not let his kinsmen or countrymen know about it as they are always against him. Instead, I should look for a foreign partner who will help me retrieve the box. Meanwhile, I asked him why he deposited the money in the security company rather than in the bank and he answered that government of West Africa probe their citizens most often and that he wouldn’t want the money to be seized by the government Therefore, I am asking you to help me retrieve the box from the security company and get it transferred to you in your country by the security company. Secondly, you will help to invest it in a profitable business in your country. Thirdly, you will help us to come over there to continue our education as you can understand that we stopped school abruptly when my parents died and we have nobody to help us now. That is why we had to travel to Ghana to run away from the menace of my father’s kinsmen because since the death of my parents, all hated us So, right now, we have nobody to help us except you if you can whole-heartedly accept to help us. I am only pleading with you and not forcing you. Just consider our condition, and make up your mind to help us. If you are interested, ready and willing to help us, please, let me know as you are replying so that I can tell you the procedures we have to follow. Thanks a lot and remain blessed for your perusal consideration.


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