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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: miriam ali <miriam_ali@w.cn>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 05:55:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From Mrs Miriam Ali,


>From Mrs Miriam Ali,
 
Dear God's elect,
I
am writing this mail to you with heavy tears In my eyes and great sorrow in my
heart, My Name is Miriam Ali, and am contacting you from my country Tunisia I
want to tell you this because I don't have any other option than to tell you as
I was touched to open up to you, I married to Mr.Aabideen Ali who worked with
Tunisia embassy in Burkina Faso for nine years before he died in the year
2005.
 
We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a
brief illness that lasted for only five days. Since his death I decided not to
remarry,When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$ 8.5m (Eight
Million Five hundred Thousand Dollars) in a bank in Ouagadougou the capital city
of Burkina Faso in west Africa Presently this money is still in bank. He made
this money available for exportation of Gold from Burkina Faso
mining.
 
Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the period
of seven months due to cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is my
stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to hand you over this money
to take care of the less-previlaged people, you will utilize this money the way
I am going to instruct herein.
 
I want you to take 30 Percent of the
total money for your personal use While 70% of the money will go to charity"
people in the street and helping the orphanage. I grew up as an Orphan and I
don't have anybody as my family member, just to endeavor that the house of God
is maintained. am doing this so that God will forgive my sins and accept my soul
because this sickness have suffered me so much.
 
As soon as I receive
your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank in Burkina Faso and I will
also instruct my lawyer to issue you an authority letter that will prove you the
present beneficiary of the money in the bank, that is if you assure me that you
will act accordingly as I Stated herein.
 
Hoping to receive your
reply,
>From Miriam Ali.



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