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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: susan ronaldo <susanronaldo2ph@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:47:49 +0430
Subject: Friendship

Hello My Beloved Friend,

I greet you with the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, It is true that
this letter may come to you as a surprise. Nevertheless, I humbly ask you
to give me your attention and hear me well. My name is Mrs. Susan Roland
from American. I am married to Mr. Nicole Roland who worked with our
Embassy in England for a period of 8 years before he died.

We were married for 24 years without a child before he died after a
brief illness. Since his death I decided not to remarry due to my religious
belief. When my late husband was alive he deposited a trunk box containing
the sum of US$6.5m (Six Million Five Hundred Thousand United State American
dollars) in a security company here in the England. Presently this money is
still in the custody of the security company here in England. Recently, my
Doctor told me that I would not last for the next Four months due to cancer
illness.

Having known my condition I decided to donate this money to churches,
organization or good person that will utilize this money the way I am going
to instruct herein.

I want you to use this money for churches, Charity organization,
orphanages, widows and other people that are in need. l took this decision
because I don't have any child that will inherit this money . Moreover, my
husband relatives are not close to me since I develop a Cancer problem and
it had been their wish to see me dead in order to inherit his wealth since
we have no Child. These people are not worthy of this inheritance. This is
why I am taking this decision.

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my
ill-health. As soon as I receive your reply I will give you the contact of
the security company here in England where this money is deposited. I will
also issue a letter of authorization to the security company that will
prove you the present beneficiary of this trunk box containing the money I
also want you to always put me in prayer.

Any delay in your reply may give me room to look for another good
person for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act
accordingly as I stated herein.

Hoping to receive your response to my email here soonest.

Thanks and Remain blessed.

Yours sister in the Lord,

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