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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: "David Carl" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dandros886@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:08:44 -0700
Subject: Urgent please get back to me

My name is David Carl I am from Scotland Please take this serious,
I am taking this liberty anchored on strong desire to ask for your
assistance for help. Your consent and urgent attention will greatly be
needed, devoid of apprehensions. I have been diagnosed with Esophageal
cancer. It has defied all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have
only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.

I have not particularly 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 focused 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 i
have been diagnosed with this deadly disease I have willed and given
most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family
members as well as few close friends, i lost my wife and son in a fatal
accident a few years ago I have decided to give alms to charity
organizations,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 the U.A.E,
Somalia and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I can
not do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one
of my accounts and distribute the money, which I have there to charity
organization in Bulgeria and Haiti, they refused and kept the money to
themselves.

Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with
what I have left for them. The last of my money, which no one knows of,
is the huge cash deposit of five Million United States Dollars($5,000,000)
that I have with a Finance Vaulting Unit in Europe.I will want you
to help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity
organizations.I,am willing to offer you a reward If you are willing to help.

please when replying indicate Your full name email, cell phone number so that
My personal confidant will call you and give you details on how the funds
will be transfered to you.

David

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