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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: "MRS BARBARA PATTERSON" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <motherbarbarapatterson47@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2012 20:43:25 -0000
Subject: Happy Sunday Beloved One(Please Send a word of prayer and Remain Blessed!)......

From: Mrs barbara patterson

Beloved,

Compliments of the day to you ! By this e-mail, I do sincerely
apologize for my intrusion of your privacy. However, I have a serious concern with which I believe you might be of help and for this reason, I can not but reach out to you .
My name is Mrs Barbara Patterson a
nationality of Netherland. I am married to Mr Gerrad Patterson who worked with British embassy in ABIDJAN IVORY COAST for nine years before he
died in the plane crash On 25th of July 2000 with other passengers
aboard as you can confirm it yourself through this web site.
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm)
We were dedicated Christians and decided to serve mankind to the
best of our ability. Since his death, I have lived with the memories,
fighting effortlessly to lead a normal life but all to no avail. I
suffered mentally and psychologically and shortly was diagnosed of Cancer.

I lived with the scourge praying earnestly for divine intervention. Just a month ago,the doctor informed me that I have just about three months more to
live.
I was not shocked. I accepted the news in good fate. Beloved, it is
in this regard that I write to you.

Before my husband died, he deposited a sum of £3.5 Million (Three million, Five hundrend thousand Pounds) in united Kingdom.
I have wholeheartedly decided to donate the entirety of this fund
to any devoted believer or organization and to achieve this, I need an
individual that will utilize this funds adherent for these purposes since i was unable to give birth and having no single child and my late husband relatives has plundered so much of this wealth and i have lost trust in them: i want this funds to be used for
1: For the sick, less-privileged and destitute
2: For the Widows and the motherless babies e.t.c.
3: orphanages, Research centers and widows propagating
These are the wishes of a dying woman. They are the desires of my
heart, hence my decision as I do not have a child to take over my
inheritance. Please, understand that I am not doing this because of fear of death as I am certain where my place already is. At this point, friends, well wishers, and my husbands relatives are all clambered around me as I sojourn in my hospital bed and are unaware of my plight, hence I will notbe able to make an open conversation. When I receive your response, I will direct you at once to the bank.
All I need from you is Truthfulness, Honesty and Sincerity assuring me
that you can in all honesty and obedience utilize the funds for the
purpose with which it is meant. In any a case, a quick response from you
will be highly appreciated as I am already on a count-down and may not
have ample time to finalize the procedures. Any delay in response may
compel me to source for other measures or perhaps choose the alternative
which I will not be happy to. Please, do not see this as a strange
possibility or an unbelievable opportunity to make wealth, rather see this as a rare chance to assist the less privileged in truth and in spirit with a substance.
I await your immediate response.

Thank You and Bless you abundantly.

Yours Sincerely

Mrs Barbara Patterson


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