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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.Danielle Wellington" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <danwellington58@globomail.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:39:14 +0100
Subject: Thank you and May the Almighty bless you

Greetings

I am Mrs.Danielle Wellington suffering from cancerous ailment. I am married to Mark Wellington,a shipping tycoon notable for his great wealth, influential extended family, and charitable activities all his life before his death. Our life together as man and wife lasted for three decades without child. My husband died after a protracted illness in April 17, 2008.

My husband and I made a vow to uplift the down-trodden and the less-privileged individuals as he had passion for persons who can not help themselves due to physical disability or financial predicament.I can adduce this to the fact that he needed a Child from our wedlock which never came.

When my late husband was alive he had a lot of investments in the capital market(stocks and bonds valued at over $12 Million). Consequent upon his demise this stocks were transferred solely to me but recently, my doctor confirmed to me that, I have limited days to live due to the cancerous problems I am suffering from though what bothers me most is the stroke that I have in addition to the cancer.

With this hard reality that has befallen me,i have decided to distribute this stocks to persons in need,orphanages and motherless babies homes most especially to to victims affected by Tsunami in Japan,Somalia,Haiti and Pakistan. I have chosen you as one of the beneficiaries hence,i have decided to give you $12 Million worth of my property and i want you to use this gift which comes from my husbands effort to better your lot,fund the upkeep of widows,orphans, destitute, the down- trodden, physically challenged children,barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially around you.,it is often said that blessed is the hand that giveth.

I took this decision because I do not have any child that will inherit the properties and my husband relatives are bourgeois and very wealthy persons,I do not want my husband's hard earned money to be misused or invested
into ill perceived ventures. I do not want a situation where this money will be used in a worldly manner, hence the reason for taking this bold decision.

I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going.I do not need any telephone communication in this regard due to my deteriorating health and because of the presence of my husbands relatives around me as i am currently bedridden in the Family house receiving treatment and do not receive any visitors unless approved by the immediate younger brother to my late husband.I do not want them to know about this development in order to safeguard this request.

I have authorized my Private Attorney David Shonekan whom i communicate with via emails everyday,to issue a Letter of Authority in your favor to the Bank handling this money and this will empower you as the beneficiary of this fund. My happiness is that I lived a life worthy of emulation. Please always be kind hearted all through your life.

please make sure to maintain a confidential and Cordial relationship with him even in my absence because he is a very Trust worthy and caring person. Please assure me that you will act just as have stated herein.

Hope to hear from you soon, it is well with you and members of your family. Ensure to keep this very confidential for security reasons until the funds are safe in your possession okay. get back to me on my private e-mail here

Thank you and May the Almighty bless you.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Danielle Wellington

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