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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: "Ms.Pamela Lawson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pamelalawson@w.cn>
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:12:32 -0700
Subject: From Ms. Pamela Lawson

>From Ms. Pamela Lawson
16-17 Achimota Road off School Junction,
Accra- Ghana, West Africa.
Dearest One

Permit me to inform you of my desire to go into business relationship with you, after going through your profile and I prayed over it and selected your name among other names due to the nature of my present situation, which requires a reputable and trustworthy person. Someone who will be kind and sincere to me. I decide to use this medium in this site to look for a nice and trust worthy man who will love and take care of me and i am willing to spend the rest of my life with you as i am just alone in the world now.

l am Miss Pamela Lawson, the only daughter of late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lawson. My father was a very wealthy GOLD merchant in Accra here, the Capital of Ghana; he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their business meeting. My mother died on the 22nd may 1989 after my birth and my father took me so Special because l am Motherless.

Before the death of my father on 06th November 2008 in a private hospital here in Ghana, he
secretly called me on his bedside, when I sat down to listen to him, he started crying, why?
(1) He complained that I am too young to be managing my life with no one to take care of me,
(2)That I have not finished my university education as he planned for me, he revealed to me
That he has a sum of US$ 12,200,0000. (TWELVE MILLION TWO HUNDERED UNITED STATES DOLLARS) left and deposit in Escrow Bank A/c here in Ghana, that he used my name as the only daughter for his next of kin in deposit of the funds.

He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates, that l should seek for a GOD fearing foreign partner in a country of my choice where l will transfer this money and use it for proper investment purpose, that I must finish my university education by the help of a business partner abroad, that he or she should help me obtain a resident permit in his or her country.

He also gave standing instructions to the bank that the deposit must be transferred outside this country and that I must reach the age of 21 years before the deposit will be released to me. According to my father, the money was deposited in an Escrow Account to avoid attracting attention to the depositor. I am now ready to do all these since my father; my bread winner is no more. l am honorable seeking your assistance in the following ways.
(1) To serve as my guardian in your country while I will depend on your expert advice since lam a girl of 22 years?
(2) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country in order to further my university education and to secure a residential permit for me in your country. Moreover, l am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for your assistance in the transfer of this deposit to your country.
Furthermore, you can indicate your option towards assisting me as l believed that this project would be concluded within seven days you signify interest to assist me by contacting the bank where the money was deposited.
Hoping to hearing from you soon. May God bless you as you extend your helping hand to the needy.

Best wishes
Pamela Lawson

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