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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 Karen Wright <karenwright7742@msn.com>
Reply-To: <mrskarenwright@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 22:29:57 +0000
Subject: From Hospital,




>From Hospital,

With Due Respect, I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears in my eyes and great sorrow in my heart. My name is Mrs Karen Wright from Chile; my husband Parker Wright worked with Chile embassy in Malaysia before his death, we were married for 32years without a child and He died after a brief illness that lasted for only few days. I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home which my religion is against. When my husband was alive he deposited the sum of $5.5Million USD with one of the bank here.

Recently I have my test report that my liver has been damage due to cancer affection. The one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to help the orphanages around the world through you the way I am going to instruct here in. I want you to use this fund to help the Orphanages, widows, les-privilege to have there life’s a meaning, and to endeavour that the house of God is maintained. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not good at all because they are the one that killed my husband in other to have my entire late husband properties and I don't want my husband's efforts to be used by unbelievers. I don't want a situation whereby my husband inheritance will be used in an ungodly way.


Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein.
Hoping to receive your response immediately
Mrs Karen Wright (widow)


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