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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 Cherry Albert" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.cherry_albert@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:18:25 +0100
Subject: Dearly Beloved

    Dearly Beloved,
 
 
    It is understandable that you might be a little bit apprehensive
    because you do not know me.
 
 
    I am Mrs. Cherry Abert, an American born in the state of Ohio USA. Iam
    legally married to a German Husband, we lived in Ohio in USA for 32yrs
    before we relocated to Germany in 1993 after my husband retirement in
    1990, I am 83yrs old by the grace of God, Iam also a new Christian
    convert suffering from long time cancer of the breast.
 
 
    All indication from my doctor proved that my condition is really
    deteriorating and it is quite obvious that I would not live more than
    two months, according to my doctors, and in all indication regarding
    to medical analysis. This is because the cancer disease has gotten to
    a very bad stage that there is no hope for me to be a living person
    again. My dear Husband was aboard the AF4590 plane, which crashed on
    Monday, 31 July, 2000 into the Hotelissimo. You can read more about
    the crash on visiting this site:
 
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/859479.stm
 
 
    57yrs period of Marriage life, still we could not produce any child,
    my late husband was very wealthy and after his death I inherited some
    part of his Business and money in the bank. The Doctors has advised me
    that I may not live for more than two months and warn me to stop
    thinking, today I have decided to donate/contribute to the less
    privileges, charity and orphanage homes. I made this decision after
    listening to the news about a 100yrs old woman who secretly donated
    her fortune upon her death.
 
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8o-e-iLsUM
 
    I choose you after viewing your profile and I have confident in you
    because I have prayed about it for some time now. I am willing to
    donate the sum of $12.5m U.s dollars, to the less privileged, I want
    you to note that this fund is still in the bank where my husband
    deposited it. I am going to inform our lawyer to file an immediate
    application for the transfer of the fund in your name. Please use 70%
    to do the work and take 30% for yourself.
 
 
    Please provide me with the below informations of yourself to know whom
    I am having dealings with.
    Name:........................................
    Contact Address:.......................
    Occupation:...............................
     Your Nationality/Country:.......
    Tel No:.......................................
 
 
    As soon as I receive the above details from you I will inform my
    family lawyer to contact you and give you all the details you need to
    receive this donation.
 
 
    You can reply more preferably to my private at   (mrs.cherry_albert@usa.com)
 
 
    May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the sweet
    fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forever more, Amen.
 
 
    Yours Sincerely,
 
    Mrs. Cherry Abert.

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