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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: "Lady Helen Crawford." <ladyhelecrawfordfunds@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: lady.helencrawfordfund@live.com
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:37:46 +0200 (EET)
Subject: My Last Wish


Dearly Beloved,

I'm Lady Helen Crawford resident in Penang, Malaysia suffering from
cancerous ailment. I was married to Sir William Crawford a Malaysia base
shipping tycoon notable for his great wealth, influential extended family
and charitable activities all his life before his death. My husband died
after a protracted illness in April 5th, 2009. Our life together as
husband and wife lasted for about two and a half decades without a child.

My late husband and I made a vow to uplift the down-trodden and the
less-privileged individuals in the society, as we both had passion for
those people who cannot help themselves due to physical disability or
financial predicament. I can adduce the fact that, we needed a Child from
our marriage which never came. When my late husband was alive he invested
in stocks the sum of Forty Million United States dollars ($40,000,000.00),
which he derived from his vast investment in capital market with a
Security Company here in Malaysia and named me as the sole beneficiary of
this trust funds upon his demise (all records are kept with my family
lawyer).

Presently, the funds are still with the Security Company.

Just last week, my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live, due to
the cancerous problems that I have been suffering from. What bothers me
most is the stroke that I have in addition with the cancer. With the hard
reality that has befallen me, I have decided to donate the funds to you
and I want you to use the gift which comes from my late husband effort to
establish a charitable Foundation called "Crawford Charity Foundation" for
the upkeep of widows, orphans, destitute, the down- trodden, physically
challenged children, barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely
handicapped financially around you, as it is often said that blessed is
the hand that giveth.

I took the bold decision to contact you, because I do not have any child
to inherit the money and my late husband relatives are bourgeois and very
wealthy persons that will misuse and invest the money into ill perceived
ventures if willed to them, instead of helping the poor in a worthy
manner.

I do not need any telephone communication in this regard, due to my
deteriorating health and the presence of my husband relatives around me,
as I am currently bedridden in my husband Family house here in Georgetown,
Penang and do not receive any visitors unless approved by my late husband
immediate younger brother and I do not want him and the rest of the family
members to know about this development, in order to safeguard this
bequest.

So, I want you to immediately Contact my family lawyer Barrister Paul
Westley (barpaul_lawfirms@live.com) and tell him that I have willed the
funds to you by quoting my personal reference
numberLaw/chamber/solicitors/rt/cfd/WILL/9837520312, as I have earlier
authorized him to issue a Letter of Authority in your favor to the
Security Company handling the stocks. He will also endorse my WILL, where
you will be named as the sole beneficiary of the trust funds. Please
ensure to provide for him all that he may require to finalize the
arrangement, and make sure you maintain a confidential and cordial
relationship with him even in my absence, because he is a very trust
worthy and caring person.

My happiness today is that I lived a life worthy of emulation and I want
you to be kindhearted all through your life. Please, assure me that you
will act just as I have stated herein, as I hope to hear from you soon
that you have contacted him with his personal email address that I have
given to you above.

With Love,
Lady Helen Crawford.





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