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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: "Sister Sherry S. Williams." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sherrysilver0202@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:12:23 -0000
Subject: GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF GOD

Dear Beloved,
Calvary Greetings in the name of God.
I do foresee the surprise this mail may bring to you, but I reconfirm that it came with best of intention even with the fact that am dying in my current pains, illness of a serious deceased.
My prayers have been that God should heal me permanently so I can witness my desire dream. You may be wondering how I got your contact, I got your contact through my private search in the export promotion council where your details was well convinced to me about your person. With this I was touch and desired to choose you to help me carry on my Godly projects, which is to help make distribution of funds to the humanitarian homes across your country.
Dear Beloved, I have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer, which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in caring for my health. This Sickness has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.  I have since lost my power of speech and can only manage to write now; as that has been the only way I am able to communicate.
I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even myself but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focus on my business as that is the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all, as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to Have or make all the money in the world. I believe when the Almighty gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a Different way from how I have lived it in the past.
Now that I know my time is near, I have willed and given most of my Properties and assets to my immediate and extended family members and as well as a few close friends. I want the Almighty God in Heaven to be merciful to me and accept my soul. I have decided to give the remains of my wealth to charity organizations in your country through you, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I did on earth.
So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the Caribbean Island , London Ireland Americans and some part of Western African. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself any more. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts in Switzerland and donate the money in the account to the motherless/charity homes across Australia Continent, but they refused and kept the money to themselves. I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them.
 
The last of my money which only few of them know of is the ( £ 1.500.000 Euro )Cash deposit that I have with Deutsche bank of Spain Madrid. I will want you to Help me collect this deposit and dispatched it to charity Organizations in your country and Please only earn 20% of the money as your fee for the distribution. Please let me know if you are interested in helping me out.
Please reply get back to me through my confidential email below for further correspondence:
sherrysilver0202@hotmail.com
May the Almighty God remain with you as you help.
Yours in Christ,
Sister Sherry S. Williams.

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