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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: "Grace Rossi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <m_776@yahoo.cn>
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:27:48 -0800
Subject: With Gratitude to the almighty

Hello My Dear ,

I pray that you continue to be blessed. I am writing you this mail from a sick bed and my name is Grace Rossi.
I want to tell you a little about myself. Actually i was raised in a motherless babies' home in Netherlands and i was married
to my late husband for 21 years without a child. He died in a motor accident and that gave me the biggest shock of my life.
Before his death i had cancer of the lungs which developed severely lately and affected my earing.

According to my doctors they have advised that i could live for less than half a year even though i still believe that God will help me.
I have sold all our properties and deposited Fourteen million dollars with a Security company. I am presently with my computer in a herbal home
where i have been undergoing alternative acupunture treatment. It is my last wish to see that these fund is invested and distributed among the
charity organisations, the poor and orphanages.

I will like you to distribute the funds accordingly as i have stated. Please you have to send to me your full names and delivery address with phone number
so that i can prepare an authority letter that will present you as the beneficiary of my deposits with the company. You will assure me that you act as i have
stated herein.

God bless you and I await your reply soon.

Ms. Grace Rossi.

Anti-fraud resources: