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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: "PATRICIA IDOLIM" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <pidolim@yahoo.cn>
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:54:19 +0530
Subject: SEEKING HELP


DEAREST ONE,

I AM MISS PATRICIA IDOLIM FOREIGN NATIONALITY OF INDONESIA, I
CONTACTED YOU BASED ON MY PROPOSITION, I AM 19YRS OLD AND STILL
SCHOOLING, MY PARENTS HAS GONE TO GLORY SINCE 2009 LEAVING ME WITH
REASONABLE PROPERTY FUNDS,INCLUDING 100KGS OF GOLD WHICH THEY KEPT
IN THE BANK FOR SAFE KEEPING HERE IN MALAYSIA.

SINCE AFTER THEY DIED, LIFE HAS BEEN SO DIFFICULT FOR ME BECAUSE AM
WAITING FOR THE MATURITY OF THE FIXED DEPOSIT MADE UNDER MY NAMES,
IT IS BY THE SPECIAL GRACE OF GOD THAT THE BANK HAS AGREED TO RELEASE
THE PROPERTIES DUE TO CO-FAMILY WORKERS WHO ALMOST KILLED ME BECAUSE OF
THE MONEY IN THE BANK, SO THE BANK SUMMONED ME TO COME FORWARD WITH MY
OWN APPOINTED GUARDIANSHIP OR LEGAL TRUSTEE FOR THE CLAIMS OF THIS
VALUABLE PROPERTIES.

DUE TO MY AGE AND AS A STUDENT, I CANNOT MEET UP WITH THE LEGAL
PROCESS WHICH WILL FACILITATE THE MOVING OF THESE PROPERTIES TO
OVERSEAS, SO THEREFORE I BRING THIS VITAL INFORMATION TO YOU
BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO ME IN MOVING
THESE PROPERTIES TO ANOTHER FOREIGN COUNTRY FOR SAFETY AND FOR
LUCRATIVE INVESTMENT PURPOSES FOR MY FUTURE.

ALL I WILL REQUIRE FROM YOU IS TO ASSIST ME AND STAND AS MY LEGAL
TRUSTEE AND GUARDIANSHIP TO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS IN ANY NEWLY OPENED
FOREIGN ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY TO AVOID LOOSING THEM HERE, BECAUSE
I AM A FOREIGNER AND MY PARENTS ARE LATE AND NO MORE. HOWEVER,
ALL LEGAL CLAIMS DOCUMENTS WERE GIVEN TO ME WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
FROM THE DEPOSITING BANK.

I HAVE PLANS TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION AND DO INVESTMENT IN YOUR
COUNTRY WITH YOUR SUPPORT ASSISTANCE IN BUSINESSES LIKE REAL ESTATE
AND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION WHERE THE FUNDS WILL KEEP GROWING FOR
OUR BENEFIT.

PLEASE CONTACT ME URGENTLY FOR FURTHER VITAL DETAILS.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU.
MISS PATRICIA IDOLIM

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