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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: "Mrs. Helen Crawford" <dr.k_mirza@summitpower.org>
Reply-To: mrshelencrawford2012@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:01:48 +0600
Subject: My Wish........Carwford Charity Foundation

-Hello Beloved,

I'm Mrs. Helen Crawford resident in Penang, Malaysia suffering from Leukemia.
I was married to Mr. William Crawford a Malaysia base shipping tycoon notable
for his great wealth, influential extended family and charitable activities
all his life before his death. My husband died after a protracted illness in
October 7th, 2009. Our life together as husband and wife lasted for about two
and a half decades without a child.

My late husband and I made a vow to uplift the down-trodden and the less-
privileged individuals in the society, as we both had passion for those people
who cannot help themselves due to physical disability or financial
predicament. I can adduce the fact that, we needed a Child from our marriage
which never came. When my late husband was alive, he invested in stocks the
sum of Forty Million United States dollars ($40,000,000.00), which he derived
from his vast investment in capital market with a Security Company here in
Malaysia and named me as the sole beneficiary of this trust funds upon his
demise (all records are kept with my family lawyer).

Presently, the funds are still with the Security Company.

Just yesterday, my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live, due to the
Leukemia problems that I have been suffering from. What bothers me most is the
Hypoglycemia that I have in addition with the Leukemia. With the hard reality
that has befallen me, I have decided to donate the funds to you and I want you
to use the gift which comes from my late husband effort to establish a charity
Foundation called "Crawford Orphanage and Children's Home" for the upkeep of
widows, orphans, destitute, the down- trodden, physically challenged children,
barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially
around you, as it is often said that blessed is the hand that giveth.

I took the bold decision to contact you, because I do not have any child to
inherit the money and my late husband relatives are bourgeois and very wealthy
persons that will misuse and invest the money into ill perceived ventures if
willed to them, instead of helping the poor in a worthy manner.

I do not need any telephone communication in this regard, due to my
deteriorating health and also because of the presence of my husband relatives
around me, as I am currently bedridden in my husband Family house here in
Georgetown, Penang and do not receive any visitors unless approved by my late
husband immediate younger brother and I do not want him or the rest of the
family members to know about this development, in order to safeguard this
bequest.

So, I want you to immediately Contact my family lawyer Barrister Paul
Wesley(attorney_paul.law.frims@live.com) and tell him that I have willed the
funds to you by quoting my personal reference number
Law/chamber/solicitor/rt/cfd/WILL/my/983/7520212, as I have today earlier
authorized him to issue a Letter of Authority in your favor to the Security
Company handling the stocks as soon as you contact him. He will also endorse
my WILL, where you will be named as the sole beneficiary of the trust funds.
Please ensure to provide to him, all that he may require to finalize the
arrangement, and make sure you maintain a cMrs. Helen Crawfordonfidential and
cordial relationship with him even in my absence, because he is a very trust
worthy and caring person.

My happiness today is that, my life is worthy of emulation and I want you to
do the same too, by been kind hearted all through your life. Please, remember
to put me in your daily prayers, because it is what i need the most right now.

With Love,
Mrs. Helen Crawford.

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