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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: "MR. JOHN FONET" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnfultone901@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 15:44:10 +0200
Subject: RE: URGENT ATTENTION!!!

HELLO SIR/MADAM,
 
 
GREETINGS TO YOU. MY NAME IS MR. JOHN FONET, A BRITISH CITIZEN AND A NATIVE OF INDIA. I AM A CANCER PATIENT UNDERGOING INTENSIVE TREATMENT IN MY NATIVE COUNTRY INDIA.I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER OF THE LUNGS IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND FIVE (5)YEARS AGO. ALTHOUGH MY DOCTOR IS NOT GIVING ME ANY HOPE OF SURVIVAL, I BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL HEAL ME.
 
 
THE REASON I CONTACTED YOU IS TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE CONCERNING MY INHERITANCE WHICH HAS BEEN DORMANT IN SPAIN FOR OVER 10 YEARS. MY LATE FATHER WAS A SUCCESSFUL PETROLEUM ENGINEER AND HE WORKED AS A CONTRACTOR IN THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY IN LIBYA FOR OVER FIFTEEN YEARS BEFORE HE DIED IN MARCH 2002. HE DEPOSITED HIS EARNINGS AMOUNTING TO US$6.4MILLION WITH A SECURITY OUTFIT IN SPAIN.
 
 
I NEED YOUR HELP. I AM THE FIRST AND ONLY SURVIVING CHILD OF MY LATE PARENTS. I AM NOT ABLE TO CLAIM THIS HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE SPENT ALL MY MONEY ON HOSPITAL BILLS. THIS IS WHY I HAVE CONTACTED YOU. I AM IN A DESPERATE CONDITION. I NEED MONEY TO PAY MY HUGE HOSPITAL BILLS OTHERWISE MY DOCTORS WILL ABANDON ME. I BEG YOU TO CONTACT OR VISIT THE SECURITY COMPANY IN SPAIN TO CLAIM THIS HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR ME. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TO GIVE YOU A POWER OF ATTORNEY TO PRESENT TO THE COMPANY. I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU 40% OF THE MONEY IF YOU ACCEPT TO HELP ME.
 
 
THE CONTACT DETAILS OF THE COMPANY SHALL BE FORWARDED TO YOU THE MOMENT I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY.reply me with this email: johnfultone92@gmail.com
 
 
AWAITING YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
 
MY REGARDS TO YOU AND GOD BLESS.
MR. JOHN FONET

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