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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.Margriet Bernhard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <deabogado@aim.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:04:54 +0200
Subject: Read This Mail and Contact My Attorney.

Hello Dear,

My warm greetings to you. Do take this email as real and contribution to
humanity development. This is not an easy task due to my health condition and
that is the main reason why I contacted you after viewing your profile from the international
directory. Not actually that you are the best with my intellectual grading but I was
driven to contact you from the innermost being. And that was my main reason
for getting to you. Please do not be offended and I will understand completely if you
cannot be of assistance to me.

My name is Mrs.Margriet Bernhard; I am a dying woman who has decided to
donate what I have to you for humanity services. I am 58 years old
(Netherlands Citizen) and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 1 years ago immediately
after the death of my husband who has left me everything he worked for and because the doctors
told me I will not live longer than some weeks because of my health.

I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $5,500 000 (Five million, five hundred
thousand dollars) to you for the good work of humanity and also to help the
motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.I wish you all the best
and may the good Lord bless you abundantly and please use the funds well and always extend the good
work to others.

Here is the Contact information of my Attorney below:

Asesoria Cortijo
Notario & Tribunal
Mr.Martinez Pedro
Phone:+34-687-665-538
Email:deabogado@aim.com

and tell him that I have WILLED $5,500 000 (Five million, five hundred
thousand dollars) to you and I have also notified him. I know I don't know you but I
have been directed to do this.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the
task is accomplished as i don't want anything that will jeopardize my
wishes.
From Mrs.Margriet Bernhard


Anti-fraud resources: