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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: "SUSAN SMITH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <susan-smith27@live.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:39:54 -0700
Subject: Hello Dear Beloved

Hello Dear Beloved,

I thank you very much for your respond to my mail may the almighty God
be with you and your entire family. I must first show my appreciation,
the fact that you have given heed to the entreaty of a dying woman.I
want to assure that it is not a game and I can't play games with the
Name of God. Like I had told you in my previous mail.

When I discovered this ailment, it dawned on me that I had been living
my life in vain. Then the need to affect the lives of those in need
became very paramount in my thoughts. This appears to be a case of
mercy after death, as I no longer have the strength to do those things
I used to do when I was still very full of life. My dear friend, in my
resolve to actualize my dying wish, I have been able to support
charity to a very large extent around the world. Then my health became
a sorry tale, that at this particular point in time, I live at the
mercy of various drugs and operations, which certainly cannot remedy
anything.

My close family members are however not happy with the way I have
disbursed everything of mine to the motherless Babies and the less
privileged. That is why they failed to help me actualize my dream of
supporting charity. They held for themselves the funds I made
available and went as far as even trying to terminate my life when the
hour (though very short) has not come.

All relationship with me has been severed and they are of the opinion
that the last of my fortune has been spent; unknowingly to them that
sum of Five million United States Dollars (USD$5M) lies in a Bank
in Africa. That is the last I have here on earth after my medical
bills have been estimated and all expenses paid pending when I shall
be no more. These funds I wish to entrust to you, to help propagate
the works of charity wherever your location is. By so doing, I would
need your utmost Sincerity and honesty to carry the venture along
successfully. It would be required of you to furnish me with the
following details stated below:

1. Your legitimate name
2. Contact address
3. Nationality
4. Age
5. mobile Tel/fax numbers
6. Occupation to enable me send an official power of attorney to the
Bank, making you the eligible sole beneficiary to the funds. Once this
is done, you shall make arrangements with them on how the funds would
be transferred to your account. I beg of you to deal with me honestly
and render me your assistance to the fullest of your capacity. You
would be helping a dying woman. For all you will be doing in this
project, you will be getting 30% of the total sum while you will
invest the rest in charity organizations.

Most importantly you would be touching the lives of a huge number of people.


God bless you.

Your Sister In Tears,
Mrs. Anita Brown

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