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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. Jean Mcclean" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jeanmcclean@mail.mn>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:27:40 +0100
Subject: DEAREST IN CHRIST.

THIS LETTER MIGHT COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ME EITHER DO I KNOW YOU BUT GOD DIRECTED ME TO PICK SOMEONE IN RANDOM AND MY MIND CHOOSED YOU AMONG ALL THE EMAIL I EXTRACTED FROM WEBSITES. I AM PRESENTLY IN A HOSPITAL TYPING THIS MAIL TO YOU WITH MY LAPTOP. I AM MRS JEAN MCCLEAN FROM NETHERLANDS, A WIDOW TO LATE PATRICK , I WAS BROUGHT UP FROM A MOTHERLESS HOME, AM AN AGED WOMAN SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THE BREAST. MY CONDITION IS REALLY DETERIORATING AND ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS IN ALL INDICATION REGARDS TO MEDICAL ANALYSIS, IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT I MIGHT NOT LIVE MORE THAN TWO OR THREE MONTHS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE.

MY LATE HUSBAND DIED DURING THE HURRICANE DISASTER IN NEW ORLEANS, THE MOST PAINFUL PART WAS THAT WE COULD NOT PRODUCE ANY CHILD BEFORE I LOST HIM. LATE PATRICK WAS VERY WEALTHY AND BEFORE HIS DEATH, HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF 4.8M WITH THE NAT WEST GATE BANK IN UK WHICH WE BOTH PLANNED TO USE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POOR HOMES.

SINCE THE DOCTORS HAS ADVISED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN FEW MONTHS, I CHOOSED FROM MY MIND TO GIVE THIS MISSION OUT TO SOMEONE I DON'T KNOW THAN MY WICKED HUSBAND'S RELATIONS THAT SURROUNDS ME.

DEAREST IN CHRIST, I WILL WANT YOU TO HELP ME RECEIVE THIS FUNDS AND DISPATCH IT TO THE CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS. THIS MONEY IS CURRENTLY WITH THE NATIONWIDE BANK AND UPON MY INSTRUCTIONS, IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO YOU.

THIS MESSAGE MIGHT COME TO YOU AS SURPRISE BUT THE BIBLE SAYS IN THE BOOK OF MARK CHAPTER 8:36 "WHAT PROFIT THE PERSON THAT GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOST HIS SOUL". I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL AS YOU READ MY MESSAGE BUT I PRAY TO RECEIVE A SINCERE RESPONSE FROM YOU. IF YOU ACCEPT TO DO THIS, I AM OFFERING YOU A REWARD OF 25% OF THE ($4.8 MILLION) FOR YOUR OWN USE AS YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE ONE TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS FOR THE CHARITIES.

I WILL SEARCH FOR SOMEONE ELSE IF I DON'T GET YOUR REPLY IN TIME.

GOD BLESS YOU
MRS JEAN MCCLEAN

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