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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: Priscilla Sferra <office1@jitconsole21.nl>
Reply-To: <priscillasferra@msn.com>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 05:53:41 -0700
Subject: Dearly beloved




--

DEARLY BELOVED,

I BRING YOU PEACE AND GOOD TIDING IN CHRIST
OUR LORD JESUS, AMEN!

THOUGH I AM SENDING YOU THIS EMAIL FROM MY
HOSPITAL SICK BED, BUT I FEEL STRONG IN THE LORD DOING SO BECAUSE I KNOW
THAT AT THE END OF IT ALL, IT WILL BRING JOY AND HAPPINESS TO THE LIVES
OF PEOPLE WHOM YOUR DECISION TO ACCEPT MY OFFER WILL AFFECT POSITIVELY
IN THEIR LIVES.

I AM SENDING YOU THIS E-MAIL IN GOOD FAITH AND BASED
ON THE CONVICTION I HAD AFTER PRAYING OVER MY INTENDED DECISION.

I AM
PRISCILLA SFERRA FROM GIBRALTAR BUT MARRIED TO A BÉNINOISE. PRESENTLY I
AM UNDERGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CANCER HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC (MY
HUSBAND'S COUNTRY) WHERE I HAVE REMAINED SINCE AFTER THE DEATH OF MY
LATE HUSBAND.

WHAT GOD DID NOT GIVE US THROUGH CHILD BIRTH, HE MADE
IT UP FOR US THROUGH THE AMOUNT OF WEALTH AND RICHES MY LATE HUSBAND WAS
ABLE TO AMASS BEFORE HIS DEATH IN 2004.

NEEDLESS FOR ME TO BOTHER YOU
WITH THE ANTAGONISM, HATRED AND INTIMIDATION I HAVE SUFFERED FROM THE
HANDS OF MY LATE HUSBAND'S RELATIVES WHILE HE WAS STILL ALIVE WHICH OF
COURSE GREW WORST AFTER HIS DEATH WHICH WAS BEING CENTERED ON THE FACT
THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO BEAR ANY CHILD FOR MY LATE HUSBAND AND MY
CONVERTING FROM ISLAM RELIGION TO CHRISTIAN AFTER I HAD AN ENCOUNTER
WITH JESUS. THE MATTER WAS MADE WORST WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THAT MY LATE
HUSBAND WILLED ALL HIS ESTATES TO ME AS WE HAD NO CHILD OF OUR OWN FROM
OUR MARRIAGE OF 25 YEARS.

DUE TO OUR CHILDLESSNESS AND THE
MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MY LATE HUSBAND AND HIS KINSMEN, I WAS THE SOLE
INHERITOR OF ALL HIS ESTATES WHICH INCLUDED THE FUNDS CURRENTLY BEING
DEPOSITED IN A BANK IN EUROPE WHICH IS THE REASON OF MY CONTACTING YOU.


HAVING JUST BEEN INFORMED BY MY DOCTOR THAT I ONLY HAVE FEW MONTHS TO
LIVE DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE CANCER IN MY BODY AND
THE LEVEL OF RESENTMENT AND HATRED BEING MELTED OUT TO ME BY MY LATE
HUSBAND'S RELATIVES SINCE THE DEATH OF MY HUSBAND; I HAVE DECIDED TO
CONTACT YOU TO INFORM YOU OF MY INTENTION TO BEQUEATH THE FUNDS MY LATE
HUSBAND LEFT FOR ME TO YOU.

PRIOR TO MY LATE HUSBAND'S DEATH, HE
DEPOSITED THE SUM OF (US$7.2M) IN A FIXED DEPOSIT ACCOUNT WITH A
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN EUROPE. HAVING BEEN INFORMED OF MY IMPENDING
DEATH WHICH I ASSUME MIGHT NOT ALLOW ME TO CLAIM THE FUNDS FROM THE
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION PERSONALLY; I HAVE DECIDED TO NOMINATE YOU AS MY
NEXT OF KIN BY TRANSFERRING THE RIGHT OF MY OWNERSHIP OF THE FUNDS TO
YOU SINCE THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION HAVE WRITTEN TO ME ONCE AGAIN
REMINDING OF THAT THE LENGTH OF TIME AGREED UPON TO HOLD THE FUNDS HAS
SINCE EXPIRED.

MY DESIRE AND WISH IS FOR YOU TO ASSUME OWNERSHIP AND
CLAIM THE FUND FROM THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTE AND USE IT TO PROMOTE
HUMANITARIAN WORKS, AND CHRISTIAN EVANGELISM WHICH THE ST. JOHN CHURCH
IS RENOWN FOR AND ALSO TO ASSIST THE LESS PRIVILEGED ONES WITHIN YOUR
LOCALITY AND ALSO TO UPSET ANY OUTSTANDING MEDICAL BILL IN THIS HOSPITAL
WHERE I AM CURRENTLY BEING TREATED AND TO ENSURE A GOOD BURIAL FOR ME
WHEN I MIGHT HAVE DIED.

IF YOU CAN ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL ACT
ACCORDINGLY AS INDICATED ABOVE, I WILL LIKE YOU TO RESPOND BACK TO ME ON
MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS:(PRISCILLASFERRA@MSN.COM) FOR MORE DETAIL
INFORMATION AND DIRECTION ON HOW YOU ARE TO GO ABOUT MAKING THE CLAIM
FROM THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION WHERE THE FUND IS CURRENTLY BEING
DEPOSITED.

THANK YOU AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

PEACE IN CHRIST.

MRS.
PRISCILLA SFERRA.

EMAIL:PRISCILLASFERRA@MSN.COM

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