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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: "Yvonne Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.yw02@yahoo.com.ph>
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 16:26:22 +0100
Subject: HELLO FRIEND

Hello Friend,

I am Mrs. Yvonne Williams; I have been diagnosed with Breast and Blood disease which has defiled all forms of medical treatment and I have been touched to donate the sum of Four million, five hundred thousand dollars, part of what I and my late husband labored during our time together, through you for the good work of humanity, rather than allowing my relatives or my husband family to use our hard earned funds inappropriately after my death.

It is believed that there are lot mentioned and written about scam going all over the world, but I assure you that this will never in any way associated with that as you will be given the right to verify this directly in your way the genuinely of the fund. I decided that 15% of this fund should be taken by you from the total sum upon the success release of this fund, because I am now too weak and fragile to do things myself, because of my Breast and Blood disease.

You should email with Your Full Names, Address, Direct Telephone number and direct email address, for me to tell you more about myself and the humanitarian work.

Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Yvonne Williams

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