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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: Mercy Fredrick <mercy_fredrick2@yahoo.cn>
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:30:17 +0800 (CST)
Subject: Dearest in Christ ,


Plot Bo 15 Cocody Vill,
Abidjan, Cote D' Ivoire

Dearest in Christ ,
 
May our good Lord bless you, reward you for your going out and your coming in through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I am Madam Mercy of Kuwait; I am married to late Mr Ikonoma katema who worked with Kuwait embassy here in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died in the year 2004.
 
We
were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief
illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were both
born again Christian. Since his death I decided not to remarry or get a
child outside my matrimonial home which the bible is against. When my
late husband was alive he left the sum of $2.5 Million (Two million
five hundred thousand U.S. Dollars) in a general trust account with a
Bank here in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire West Africa, Recently, following my
ill health my doctor told me that I would not last for the next Eight
months due to my cancer problem.
 
He
told me that in the next 2 months there is going to be a spread of this
cancer to my bones and I will not live again, the one that disturbs me
most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to
donate this fund to a Christian, Individual, and Organization or church
that I know may need it and that will utilize this money the way I am
going to instruct herein according to the desire of my late husband
before his death.
 
Presently,
this money is still with the Bank. I want this fund to be used in
liberation work Activities like, help to Pastors families, Orphanages,
less privileged in the society and Christian schools, poor people in
your amidst and up keeping of the Churches and for propagating the word
of God and to endeavour that the house of God is maintained.
 
I
took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit
this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't want
my husband's efforts to be used by unbelievers. I don’t want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly way. This is why I am taking this decision.
 
The
Bible made us to understand that "Blessed is the hand that giveth".I am
not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am
going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 vs. 14 says that he
lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace・I don’t need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health. With God all things are possible.
 
As
soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank
for you to contact with them directly for onward transfer. I will also
issue you an authority letter that will prove you as the present
beneficiary of my funds. I want you and your family to always pray for
me because the lord is my shepherd. My happiness is that I lived a life
of a worthy Christian. Whoever that wants to serve the Lord must serve
him in spirit and truth.
 
Please,
always be prayerful all through your life, any delay in your reply will
give me room in sourcing another person for this same purpose. Please
assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein.
 
Hoping to receive your reply, remain blessed in the Lord.
 
Yours in Christ,
Sister Mercy Ikonoma    



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