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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 ELIZABETH <godigo3@VRYSMUDGT00.onmicrosoft.com>
Reply-To: <elizbeth12@live.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2014 02:31:19 +0530
Subject: DEAR ELECT


Dear Friend I am happy to know you, but God knows you better and he knows w=
hy he has directed me to you at this point in time so do not be afraid. I s=
aw your contact Email at ministries of commerce and foreign trade departmen=
ts. I am writing this mail to you with heavy sorrow in my heart, my name is=
Mrs. Elizabeth al-Assad I am sure you are aware of Syria war, As a consequ=
ence, many assets and funds belonging to Bashar al-Assad's family are being=
frozen by western government, And am contacting you because I don=92t have=
any other option than to tell you as I was touched to open up to you, I am=
married to Mr. Muttasin al-Assad who worked with Syria embassy in London f=
or ten years before he died in the year 2005.we were married for eleven yea=
rs without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only five=
days. Since his death I decided not to remarry again, when my late husband=
was alive he deposited the sum of US $ 8.5m (Eight Million Five hundred th=
ousand dollars) in a Bank in Thread needle St, London EC2R 8AH, United King=
dom presently this money is still in Bank. He made this money available for=
exportation of gold from London mining. Recently, my doctor told me that I=
would not last for the period of seven months due to cancer problem. Whoev=
er that wants to serve god must serve him in spirit and truth because God i=
s the most high; please always be prayerful all through your life. The one =
that disturbs me most is my cancer sickness. Having known my condition I de=
cided to hand you over this money and the gold to take care of the less-pri=
vileged people, you will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct =
herein. I want you to take 40 percent of the total money for your personal =
use while 60% of the money will go to charity" people in the street and hel=
ping the orphanage. I don't have any child that will inherit this money and=
my husband relatives are not good not even good at all because they are th=
e one that responsible for the death of my late husband in other to have al=
l my late husband properties and I don't want my husband's efforts to be us=
ed by those that conspired for his death. I grew up as an orphan and I don'=
t have anybody as my family member, just to Endeavor that the name of God i=
s maintained... am doing this so that God will forgive my sins and accept m=
y soul because this sickness has suffered me so much. As soon as I receive =
your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank in London and I will se=
nd authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of the mone=
y that is if you assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein=
. Also I want you to go to the bank manager one on one to meet them for the=
claim because I don=92t need any delay; if you are ready to claim the fund=
I need you to go and see with your eyes. Hoping to receive your reply You=
=92re sincerely Mrs. Elizabeth al-Assad=20

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