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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: "Mr.Lumberg Micheal" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lmicheal@mail.kz>
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:22:27 -0700
Subject: Mr.Lumberg Micheal

I am Mr.Lumberg Micheal, I am a business man from Norway.

I have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer which was discovered very late, due
to my carelessness in caring for my health. It has defiled all forms of
medicine, according to medical experts; I have only about a few weeks to live.

I have not predominantly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for
anyone not even myself but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never
generous, I was always hostile to people and only focus on my business as that
was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that
there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the
world.

Now that am about to end this life, I have willed and given most of my
properties to my immediate and extended family members and as well as a few
close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul and so, I have
decided to give arms US$17.5m {Seventeen million five hundred thousand United
States Dollars} to charity organizations and give support to the less-privileged
in our societies, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth.
So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in AFRICA, ASIA,
MIDDLE EAST, USA, & EUROPE. Now that my health has worsened, I cannot do this
myself anymore.

I want to use the above stated amount to charity anywhere in the world {mostly,
Africa, Arab Nations and Asia countries}.I wanted my close relations to handle
the disbursement of the money to the charity homes but from the look of things,
I have lost trust in them, hence the purpose of contacting you.

I will want to appoint you to give you the authorization to help me collect this
money from it present location and disburse it to some charity organizations and
to the less privileged. Give me your response indicating your willingness and
competence and trustworthiness to handle this good work on my behalf.

I will avail you further information that you need to proceed and receive
deposited money US$17.5 Million While I wait to hear from you, please let's Save
the life of the needy, Orphans, Poor, Widows and less privileged.

Thank you.

Mr.Lumberg Micheal

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