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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: Smith Williams <dhlofficeabf@gmail.com>
Reply-To: pelagiwood@yahoo.fr
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 09:12:22 -1200
Subject: Hi Dear,

Hi Dear,

This is confidential and I must not in any way go into full details
about what brought us together in the past, but I want to use this
opportunity to thank you for your Kind assistance when you
participated and assisted me to move and claim funds through a
business proposal I sent to you some time ago. I contacted you via the
internet about some certain money which I wanted you to assist me
claim.

I am so sorry also that after you have endured with me and spent a lot
of money to make this deal successful, I misled you in the last minute
and then I used someone else to divert the funds. I am also sorry
because I decided to change the account details and I used another
account to claim this money without your knowledge. I am also sorry
for the difficulties and frustrations you have been facing sending
money to different people to assist you get your claims without
success. I am sorry I did not give to you your 30% share as agreed
even when I concluded the business successfully without your
knowledge.

I am now based somewhere in the Pacific's enjoying my new found status
as a wealthy millionaire and then suddenly I remembered that I may
have wrecked your life financially. Recently I started having
spiritual troubles and I wake up at night screaming after some people
in my dream attempted to kill me, this has happened many times and now
a Psychic told me that someone I cheated in a Business long time ago
is facing financial difficulties as a result of what I did to him
financial and until I compensate you, the end will be near for me.

I FEAR this bad faith befalling me for the miseries I have caused to
your life. I have decided to compensate you with the sum of $7 Million
us dollars so that I may have my peace. And I have instructed my
secretary Mr. Pelagi Wood to assist you and to make sure that the bank
will transfer this $7 Million us dollars to you contact now Mr. Pelagi
Wood and he must proceed to the Bank for the process of the transfer
to you and PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

Kindle contact my secretary based in Burkina Faso because I have given
Mr. Pelagi Wood instructions to work with the bank on behalf of you as
soon as possible. I thank you so much for all your help in the past.
You can contact my secretary Mr. Pelagi Wood to receive your money $7
million us dollars soonest. Forward your full data’s to below address,
Amount to transfer to you is $7,000,000.00 USD.

Name: Mr. Pelagi Wood
Email Address: pelagiwood@yahoo.fr

Tell Mr. Pelagi Wood that you are contacting her under the instruction
from Code of Mr. Smith Williams as I said send your receiver details
and informed to Mr. Pelagi Wood through above address to enable the
transfer quickly as possible. On behalf of myself and my family I
thank you so much for your great help in the past and I visualize a
happy life for you too as soon as this compensation is released to you
and then you forgive me all my mistakes towards you. I will be
eternally grateful!

Regards
Mr. Smith Williams
Pacific Island

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