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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: LEONA SMITH <leonasmith2221@msn.com>
Reply-To: <smith_mrsleona@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:26:12 +0000
Subject: Please Use This Fund According To My Instructions.



Dearest in the God,

May the love of God remain constantly In your side, be gracious to you and let his holy face shine on you this Year. May the holy spirit go before you to direct you and guide you.

I am Mrs Leona Smith, a British woman suffering from cancerous ailment. I am married to Mr. Nicolas Smith, my husband worked with Chevron Corporation for twenty years before he died at the age of 54 on 5th of January 2010 after a brief illness after an auto-crash. Since his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my matrimonial home due to our tradition.

My husband and I prepared a blueprint for establishing a Foundation that would be directed towards helping the needy in our society. This plan was still in the incubation stage rearing for activation before the auto-crash that claimed my husband and now left me in this debilitating state.

My late husband deposited the sum of 5 Million (FIVE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) with a Finance House. Presently this money is still there I am writing from my sick bed. I am looking for a credible person to whom I will pass the right of next of kin. Although we have not met before, I got your email address on International Business Directory and my confidence reposed on you. I hope you read this message carefully and reply me immediately.

Recently, my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live due to the stroke and cancerous problems I am suffering from. I have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this gift which comes from my husband's effort to fund the upkeep of widows,Ophans,Motherless Babies and Disables In your country. In other words, you shall take 30% and utilize 70% of this funds for charity work as stated but in our names: MRS LEONA SMITH - NICOLAS FOUNDATION.

You have to assure me that you will use the Funds as I have explained here and to keep this matter confidential till when this funds get to your personal account in your country. I cannot predict what will be my faith by the time the funds will be transferred into your account, but you should please ensure that the funds will used as I have stated above. Your interest to executing this assignment for the sake of the needy in your country would interest me most as I am convinced that I have only few weeks to stay here on earth.

If this condition is acceptable by you, please contact me immediately with your :
(1) Full Names,
(2) Residential Address,
(3) Mobile number,
(4) Age
(5) Occupation.
I do not want my husband hard earned money to be misused, I want you to always pray for me. Note that this transaction is 100% Legal and hitch-free.pls reply to my emails: mrs.leona1@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks and God bless you
Sincerely ,
Mrs Leona Smith.

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