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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. Mary Schneider" <unmsg02@att.net>
Reply-To: <Message@Fastwebmail.it>
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2010 14:28:35 +0100
Subject: My Wish To Help The Poor.

Dear Beloved Friend in Christ
                   
I am writing this letter to ask for your support and cooperation to accept this offer that would be benefit to you. I know that it's quite astonishing when an offer like this comes from a person whom you do not know or have in anyway come in contact with, but I believe that it is only a day that people meet and become friends and business partners.
                    
My name is Mrs. Mary Schneider from Australia, married to Engr. Fritz Schneider a German citizen who worked with BAM Construct United Kingdom for Twenty Five Years. We were married for twenty three years without a child. My husband died in the AF4590 Concorde Plane Crash July 2000, View this website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm
                  
Since after the death of my husband, I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home and presently am 60 years old. When my husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$10.5 Million in an online bank account with a Bank in Burkina Faso. If you accept to do my wish,  I will give you the name and website of the Bank, our online account username and possword which will enable you log into the account through internet and see the amount in the account.
                      
Last week, the management of the Bank where my husband deposited this Funds wrote me as the next beneficiary to my late husband to come forward to receive his benefits or have the account confiscated but due to my health condition am unable to go and claim the money as I see no need for it due to my health and life status at this time, but I can authorize someone I trust to stand as an appointed next of kin on my behalf to receive the fund.
                  
I have a deadly disease on my Lungs called CANCER and from doctor indications my condition is really deteriorating and is quite obvious that my death is very close to me as I can see my life quickly ebbing away. The stage is worst more than ten months now and I have been hospitalized which affected my ability to talk. I am an orphan, no family back ground, no Parents, brothers, sisters or relatives but my country home origin is Australia where my late husband and I met. We were working in the same construction company in Australia before my late husband was posted and transferred to United Kingdom, which I relocated with him. Due to my poor health condition and based on doctors report, am scared that my life is almost at the end.
             
The reason why i am contacting you now is because I want you to use 70% of the total money to the following organizations like orphanages home and flood victims around the world espessicialy in Asia continent for the happiness of my late husband and I, when my spirit shall go to rest, while you keep the remaining 20% for yourself and 10% for any expenses it may cause you. I took this decision because my bible tells me what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loses his soul.
         
If I receive your reply and acceptance to carry out my dying wishes, I will inform the Bank and also give you all the information on how to collect the money from the bank with the help of my attorney a letter of authority declaring you as the next appointed beneficiary to the fund and how you will utilize or disburse 70% from the total sum will be given to you. Please assure me that you will make my dying wishes come true, while you act accordingly.
          
Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for another person for this same purpose. I expect your prompt reply and wish you will put me in your prayers hence forth.
     
Thanks and God bless you.
    
Yours Faithfully,
   
Mrs. Mary Schneider
Message@Fastwebmail.it

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