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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: "SHARON MAYOR" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sharronm_dolphin@yahoo.ie>
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2012 03:07:20 -0000
Subject: Hello Dear - Please Pray for meOWQQZOTKIZ

 
My Beloved,
 
 
Greetings to you and may peace be unto you! I came across your contact when I was searching for the history/relatives of my late adopted guardian who past away some years ago. Anyway I could not find out about the history but I decided to contact you to establish a charity project to help the less privilege people and destitute for memorial remembrance of my late adopted guardian.
 
 
I am Mrs. Sharon Mayor and I am married to an Australian, Mr. Andrew Mayor. I would like to establish a charity welfare and motherless babies home to help orphanage, destitute for humanitarian service and relief support. I want the charity foundation to be established to accomplish my late husband's heart desire for the less privilege people and charity welfare. I am willing to give an adequate amount that I inherited from my late husband (Mr. Andrew Mayor) to establish the charity project. I wish to assign you as my representative to continue the charity project in your country.
 
 
This is my heart desire and I want to see that the money is invested into any charity organization of your choice so that you can distribute relief items to charity homes, motherless baby’s home, churches, mosques, schools and also support the aged men and women or whatever you may have in mind that will be to the benefit of the less privilege people.
 
 
Already I asked members of my late husband family to donate to charity organization but they refused and kept the money for themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, they are not contented with the inheritance and wealth that my late husband left for them. I took this decision because I was raised from a motherless baby’s home. Presently I'm hospitalized where I am undergoing medical treatment for my up coming cancer surgery operation.
 
 
You can reply as soon as possible to confirm your acceptance to this mail so that I will give you all the relevant information that will authorize the release and transfer of the fund to you as my duly assigned representative. For easy communication, let me know of your contact detail:
 
 
Full Name:…………………………………..
 
Home/ Office address:............................
 
Your phone number:................................
 
Present Occupation: ...............................
 
Age:.. ....................................................
 
 
I will be expecting your urgent response. Email: sharonmrs@rocketmail.com  Please pray for me always as I prepare for my upcoming surgery operation.
 
 
Warm regards,
 
Mrs. Sharon Mayor
 

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