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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 Stephanie Charles" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <charlesstephanie@live.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:08:34 +0800
Subject: Dear Beloved,

Goodday Beloved,
 
I am Lady Stephanie Charles, I am presently suffering from
cancerous ailment and i need your kind asistance.
 
I was married to Sir Rooney Charles an Englishman who is dead.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of £3 Million
(Three Million Great Britain Pounds Sterling) which were derived
from his vast estates and investment in capital market with his bank.
 
Due to my ailment my Doctor recently told me that I have limited
days to live due to the cancerous problem I am suffering from.
Though what bothers me most is the stroke I have in addition to
the cancer. With this hard reality that has befallen my family, I
have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this
gift which comes from my late husband's hard work to set-up a
charity foundation for the up keep of widows, widowers, orphans,
destitutes, the down-trodden, physically challenged children,
barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped
financially.
I took this decision because I do not have any child and my Late
husband's relatives are bourgeois and very wealthy persons.I do not
want my late husband's hard earned money to be misused or invested
into ill perceived ventures 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's relatives around me, I do not want them to know about
this development.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact
of my attorney he will be the one to assist you in laying claims
for this funds and also issue you a Letter of Authority that will
empower you as the original beneficiary of this fund.
Please assure me that you will act just as I have stated herein,
hope to hear from you soon as i want you to contact me with my
private email address: charlesstephanie@hotmail.com
 
Lady Stephanie Charles.

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