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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mary James" <ishipcompany@mail.mn>
Reply-To: <mary.james302@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2010 03:51:35 -0800
Subject: I WILL HELP

DEAR SIR/MADAM,
My name is Mary James,am 75yrs old of age and i stay in white river New York City, USA.I am a good merchant, I have several industrial companies and good share in various banks in the world.I spend all my life on investment and corporate business. all the way i lost myhusband and two beautiful kids in fatal accident that occurred in November 5th 2003.
I am a very greedy woman with all cost i don't know much and care about people, since when I have an experience of my families death,its difficult to sleep and give rest,later in the year 2004 February i was sent a letter of medical check up, as my personal doctor testify that i have a lung cancer, which can easily take off my life soon.I found it uneasy to survive myself, because a lot f investment cannot be run and manage by me again.I quickly call up a pastor/prophet to give me  positive thinking on this solution as my adviser.He minister to me to share my properties ,wealth, to motherless baby/orphanage homes/people that need money for survivor both student that need money for
schooling,business woman and man for their investment and for future rising.
So therefore i am writing this letter to people who are really in need of help from me both student in college to contact me urgently,so that i can make an available preparation on that.especially women of the day, who are divorced by their husband, who cannot survive the mist of feeding their self,please contact me and stop weeping. probably let me now what you really need the money for and if you can still help me to distribute money to nearest orphanage homes near your town.now am so much with God, am now born again.May the lord bless you as you reach me,please to remind you, don't belongs to scammers or any act of fraudulent on internet. I will give more information to you as i await
your response immediately.
Best Regards,
Mrs.Mary James

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