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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. Mary Dumello" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.marydumello@e-mail.ua>
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:22:07 -0700
Subject: Your Urgent Respond is Highly Needed.

Dearest one in Christ,
 
My name is Mrs. Mary Dumello an American woman married to a Ghanaian but we stay in London United Kingdom , I am 52 years old deaf woman, A widow suffering from cancer for about 3year now, the doctor says I have a short time to live that it is by  miracle that I'm still alive,  I  have no  kid and my Husband is dead I do not have any relations but been directed by the LORD to inform you of his WILL to have you as his servant I have some funds inherited from my late husband, the sum of US$12,500.000.00 and I needed a very honest and God fearing Christian that will use the funds for God's work, motherless home,  charitable funding or deaf, I found your email address from the Internet and decided to contact you.
 
Knowing that if anything happens to me this wealth will be impounded by the bank. After I prayed about the whole issue and cried  for so long he gave me a vision of faith in my dream and when I woke up I had my bible by my side opened to  Leviticus 5:15:which says "If any one commits a breach  of  faith and sins unwittingly in any of the holy things  of the LORD or defy the lord's command , he shall bring,  as his guilt offering to the LORD a ram without blemish  out of the flock, valued by you in shekels of silver,  according to the shekel of the sanctuary; it is a guilt  offering. I prayed to the LORD to put me through to the right path, who then led me to you in a miraculous way. Please if you would be able to use the funds for the Lord work, kindly reply for further details.
 
Your Urgent Respond is Highly Needed
 
Your sincerely
Mrs. Mary Dumello

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