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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: =?big5?q?Starr=20Ms=20Carolina?= <mscarolinastarr@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: carolinastarr33@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 09:09:35 +0800 (HKT)
Subject:


§Ú¦³·sªº¹q¶l¦a§}¡I§A²{¥i¹q¶lµ¹§Ú¡Gmscarolinastarr@yahoo.com



- GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF GOD.I HOPE MY LENGHTY MAIL FINDS YOU WELL. I AM MS CAROLINA STARR FROM SPAIN; I 58YEARS OLD,WIFE TO LATE TORRES.I AM DEAF,AND SUFFERING FROM A LONG TIME CANCER WHICH ALSO AFFECTED MY BRAIN.FROM ALL INDICATIONS,MY CONDITION IS REALLY DETERIORATING AND QUITE OBVIOUS ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS ADVICE,THE CANCER STAGE HAS GOTTEN VERY BAD AND I MAY NOT LIVE TO SEE THE END OF THIS YEAR. I WAS BROUGHT UP FROM A MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME;WAS MARRIED TO MY LATE HUSBAND FOR TWENTY YEARS WITHOUT A CHILD WHO DIED IN A FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENT.WE WERE TRUE CHRISTAINS AND SINCE HIS DEATH,I DECIDED NOT TO RE-MARRY. I SOLD ALL MY INHERITED BELONGINGS AND DEPOSITED ALL THE SUM OF $11.6MILLION DOLLARS,WITH A SECURITY COMPANY.PRESENTLY, THIS MONEY IS STILL WITH THEM AND THE MANAGEMENT JUST WROTE ME AS THE TRUE OWNER TO COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE THE MONEY FOR KEEPING IT SO LONG OR RATHER ISSUE A LETTER OR AUTHORIZATION TO SOMEBODY TO RECEIVE IT ON MY BEHALF SINCE I CAN NOT COME OVER BECAUSE OF MY ILLNESS OR THEY WILL GET IT CONFISCATED. I AM WITH MY LAPTOP IN A HOSPITAL WHERE I AM HAVING MY TREATMENT FOR CANCER OF THE BREAST. 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 TO ANY ORGANIZATION OF YOUR CHOICE AND DISTRIBUTED EACH YEAR AMONG THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION, THE POOR AND THE MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME WHERE I COME FROM. I WANT YOU TO BE GOD FEARING, TO ALSO USE THIS MONEY TO FUND ORPHANAGES AND WINDOWS, I TOOK THIS DECISION, BEFORE I REST IN PEACE BECAUSE MY TIME WILL SOON BE UP. AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY I SHALL GIVE YOU THE CONTACT OF THE SECURITY COMPANY. I WILL ALSO ISSUE YOU A LETTER OF AUTHORITY THAT WILL PROVE YOU AS THE NEW BENEFICIARY OF MY FUND. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. MS CAROLINA STARR


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