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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Donald Walker Oxlen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <walkerdonaldo@fastwebmail.it>
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:49:06 -0700
Subject: MY GENEROSITY ENDOWMENT TO YOU

My Dearest

My Dearest, Compliment of the day, May God be with you. Please don’t be offended, I got this your Email id. from your country's guestbook, Am Mrs. Walker O. Donald from Denmark, 53 yrs , a Widow with No Child with my late husband who died 2 Yrs Ago, Am suffering from a Long time Cancer of the Breast that affected my Lung/liver, as My doctors confirmed that I've less than Two months to live, I've WILLED my remaining Balance of US$6,370,216.00 in my  Account with Woolwich bank London to you for benevolence Works of God Especially for Cancer patients, Orphanages/Motherless Babies home where i was Raised and for yourself. Reach me now on my (Email: walkerod@fastwebmail.it )for more details. With love from Mrs. Walker.

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