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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: Shirina Wilcox <shirina_wilcox111@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Shirina Wilcox <shirina_wilcox1111@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 02:40:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From Mrs. Shirina Wilcox, Can You Keep Your Promise?

>From Mrs. Shirina Wilcox, Can You Keep Your Promise?

Dear beloved one,

I am Mrs. Shirina and I married to late Mr. Edward Wilcox, who was working with South African Embassy here in Ghana before he died in the year 2009, after a brief illness that lasted for only five days. We were married for Eighteen years and were blessed with a daughter called ( Amanda) who later died in a fetal motor accident on her way to school.Before the untimely death of my husband,we were both born again Christians. And since after his death I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home .When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of (US$ 4. 5 Million ) Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in a prime bank here .

Following my ill health, being a victim to cancer , I have decided to donate this fund to a Charitable Organizations and Less Privileged in the society. I will like you to utilize this fund the way I am going to instruc herein, according to the desires of my late husband. I want the fund to be transfer into your account in your base after it shall be use for Charitable activities such as helping of Orphanages,Charitable Schools and for propagating the word of God and to endeavor that the house of the Lord is maintained. I and my late husband
took this decision because we don't have any child that will inherit the fund and my husband relatives are pagans and do not know about the deposit . I am not afraid of death since I know where I am going, according to the book of Exodus 14 VS 14 which says that "the Lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace".

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health situation as well as the presence of my late husband's relatives around me. I don't want them to know about this development/wishes of my late husband hence I want it to be fulfilled . As soon as I receive your reply urgently, I shall give you the contact of the bank here in Ghana together with the Agreement and Deposit Certificates and would also introduce you officially to the bank for the immediate releasing of the funds to you.
Distributes it accordingly and use your judgment to distribute the money and keep 20% of it to yourself. Feel free to re-reimburse yourself when you have the money for any expenses you made during the process of transfer/claiming the fund on my behalf. Please always be prayerful all through your life as well as committing me into your daily prayers. Reply me immediately you received this mail since any delay in your reply will give me room to source another person for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to receive your reply immediately .

Remain blessed .

Yours Sister in pain,

Mrs. Shirina Wilcox.

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