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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: mary louis <marylouis2003@msn.com>
Reply-To: <mrsmarylouis2007@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 01:06:14 +0000
Subject: Dear friend



Dear friend
Greetings in the name of God,Pls let this not sound strange to you for my onlysurviving lawyer who would have done this died early this year.i prayed and gotyou email id from your countrys guestbook which i have been with my late husbandand liked to visit once more if God will in his infinite mercies.

I am Mrs.Mary Louis from Canada,I am 58 years old,i am suffering from a longtime cancer of the breast which also affected my brain,from all indication myconditions is really deteriorating and it is quite obvious that, according to mydoctors they have advised me that i may not live for the next two months,this isbecause the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage.

I was brought up from a motherless babies home was married to my late husbandfor twenty years without a child ,my husband died in a fatal motor accidentBefore his death we were true beleivers.Since his death I decided not tore-marry,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited all the sum of10million dollars with a First Inland Bank.

Presently, this money is still with them and the management just wrote me asthe true owner to come forward to receive the money for keeping it so long orrather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalfsince I can not come over because of my illness or they get it confisticated.

Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital here in london where I havebeen undergoing treatment for cancer of the lungs.my doctors have told me that Ihave only a few months to live.It is my last wish to see that this money isinvested to any organisation of your choice and distributed each year among thecharity organization,the poor and the motherless babies home.

I want you as God fearing person, to also use this money to fund churches andmuslim, orphanages and widows,I took this decision, before i rest in peacebecause my time will so on be up.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the FirstInland Bank.I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you asthe new beneficiary of my fund. Please assure me that you will act accordinglyas I stated herein.

Please reply me through this my private email
address:mrsmarylouis2007@hotmail.com
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Waiting for your reply
Yours in Christ,
Mrs.Mary Louis

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