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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 Herg Sandrine <herg_sandrine@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: herg.sandrine@hotmail.fr
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:40:02 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Mrs Herg Sandrine


 Dearest  beloved One.
 
I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you, I got  your contact  address from the internet when i was searching for a trustworthy person.
  
 I am Mrs.Herg Sandrine, I am 58 years old, I am  suffering from a long time  cancer of the Blood. From all indication my condition is really deteriorating,  and my doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next  two months, this is because the cancer stage has reached a critical stage. I was  brought up in a motherless baby's home, and was married to my late husband for eighteen years without a child.
 
My husband is muslim and  I  Christians, but quite unfortunately, he died in a fatal motor accident, Since his death I decided not to re-marry,  my late husband  inherited  and deposited all the sum of $9.2million dollars with a Fiduciary Fund Holders.Presently, this money is still in their custody,and the management just wrote me as the Legitimate beneficiary to come forward to receive the money after keeping it for so long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to  receive it on my behalf since I can not come over as a result of my illness, or they get it confiscated.Presently, I'm  in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment. I have since lost my ability to do anything by myself and my doctors have told me that  I have only a few months to live.
 
It is my last wish to see that this money is invested in any organisation of your choice and distributed each year among the charity organization, the poor  and the motherless baby's home where I come from. I want your good humanitarian to also use this money to  fund churches, orphanages and widows around. I must let you know that this was a  very hard decision, but I had to take a bold step towards this issue because I  have no further option. I hope you will help see my last wishes come true  As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Bank. I will also issue you a letter of authority which will prove that you are the new beneficiary of my funds, and the infomation concerning the deposit. Please assure  me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hope to hear from you.
 
Soonest. I am waiting your response
 Yours in God,
Mrs Herg Sandrine




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