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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 Rebecca Thatcher" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrpennymatesq@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:43:51 -0000
Subject: IT IS YOUR CALLING.

From: Lady Rebecca Thatcher.
No:38-41 Old Church Street, Manchester,
London England.
Kindly accept my apology for sending this mail to you. I believe you are a highly respected
 
person, I am writing this mail with tears, sadness and pains. I know it will come to you as
 
a surprise since we haven't known or come across each other before, considering the fact
 
that I sourced your email contact through the internet in search of trusted person who can
 
assist me.
 
  I am Lady Rebecca Thatcher, suffering from cancerous ailment. I was married to Sir Jeremy
 
Thatcher an English 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 2nd, 2006.Our life together as husband and wife lasted for about
 
three 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 can not help themselves due to physical disability or
financial predicament. I can adduce this to the fact that we both needed a Child from this
 
relationship, which never came.When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of Twenty
 
Million Pounds Sterling(20,000,000.00 GBP) which were derived from his vast estates and
 
investment in capital market with his bank here in UK and named me as the beneficiary of
 
this trust fund.(all records are kept with my family lawyer).Presently, this money is still
 
with the Bank. Recently, my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live, due to the
 
cancerous problems that i have been suffering from. Though what bothers me most is the
 
stroke that I have in addition with the cancer. Hence, With this hard reality that has
 
befallen my family and me, I have decided to donate this fund to you and i want you to use
 
this gift which comes from my Late husbands effort to establish a charity home called
 
"Thatcher Charity Foundation" for the upkeep of the down-trodden and persons who prove to be
 
genuinely handicapped financiall
this money and my husband relatives are bourgeoes and very wealthy persons and I  do not
 
want my husband's hard earned money to be misused or invested into ill perceived ventures.
 
Also i do not want a situation where this funds will be used in a worldly manner, hence the
 
reason for taking this bold decision.I do not need any telephone communication in this
 
regard due to my deteriorating health and because of the presence of my husband relatives
 
around me, as i am currently bedridden in the Family house here in 38-41 Old Church Street,
 
Manchester and do not receive any visitors unless approved by Talmund Thatcher who is the
 
immediate younger brother to my late husband.I do not want them to know about this
 
development in order to safegurad this bequeast. So, i want you to Contact my family lawyer
 
Barrister Matthew penny. (ESQ) with this specified email address: barrpennymatesq@gmail.com,
 
Tell him that I have WILLED the ?20,000,000 to you by quoting my personal reference
number Law/chamber/solicitors/rt/cfd/WILL/9834520012, as I have earlier notified him that I
 
will be WILLING the funds to you for a specific purpose and good work.My happiness 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 my family lawyer with
 
the email address that i have given to you above, as he is presently
waiting to receive your reply.
Remain blessed,
Lady Rebecca Thatcher.
 

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