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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: "Mrs. Meeme Alfred" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <meemealfred@ymail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:03:11 -0800
Subject: PLEASE RESPOND URGENTLY.

Dear Beloved,
 
As you read this mail, my desire is that you find a place in your heart to assist me in fulfilling my Late Husband's Last Wish/will. I am Mrs. Meeme Alfred from Lebanon. My husband worked with the Chevron in Russia for twenty years before he died in the year 2003. Presently, I am in a hospital in the Northern Ireland undergoing treatment for oesophageal cancer and recently, my doctor told me that I have a very short time to live due to this health problem but what disturbs me most though, is the stroke I had recently.
 
 
I and my husband were married for fifteen years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for six weeks. Before his death, he made a vow to use his wealth for the down trodden and the less privileged in the society. And since his death, I have been trying to get someone I can trust to help me execute his wish, hence my sending you this mail. When my late husband was alive, he made a huge cash deposit totaling US$12,500,000,00 (Twelve Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) which was concealed in a diplomatic box and lodged with a Finance and Security firm abroad as family valuables and no one knows of this huge cash deposit till Date.
 
Having known my condition, I decided to donate this fund to an individual or better still a God fearing person who will utilize this money in the way I am going to instruct herein. Furthermore, because relatives and friends have plundered so much of my Late husband's wealth since my illness, Please, I beg you to help me stand as the beneficiary and collect the Funds from the Finance and Security firm. I want you to take custody of the fund and use it for charity works as I have no child that will inherit this money.
 
As soon as I receive your response confirming your acceptance to act on my behalf to claim these deposit, I shall furnish you relevant information thereto, which will authorise the release of these funds to you as my duly assigned representative.
 
Please, for further communication on how we are going to conclude this, reach me please, do note that time is of essence due to my present health condition and as such, I appeal that prompt action needs to be taken so that this deposit can be released while am still alive.
 
Regards,
 
Mrs. Meeme Alfred
meemealfred@ymail.com
 

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