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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. Felizitas " <mfdo275@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: faiwmh275@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2014 01:48:50 +0100
Subject: Hello, Your have a message read and reply

Donation from Mrs. Felizitas Agathe Gervas

NO. BP 32 R. Des Martyrs Cocody
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

Dearest in Christ,
I am Mrs. Felizitas Agathe Gervas from Germany and married to Dr.
Claus Adalbert Gervas who worked with German embassy in Cote d'Ivoire
for nine years before he died in the year 2010. We were married for
eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness that
lasted for only four days. Before his death we were both born again
Christians. Since his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child
outside my matrimonial home which the Bible is against. When my late
husband was alive he deposited the sum of $4.5 Million (Four Million
and Five Hundred thousand U.S Dollars) with one Security Company in
Cote d'Ivoire. Presently, this money is still with the Security
Company. Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the
next three months due to cancer problem. Though what disturbs me most
is my stroke having known my condition I decided to donate this fund
to church or better still a Christian individual that will utilize
this money the way I am going to instruct here in. I want a church
that will use this to fund churches, orphanages and widows propagating
the word of God and to ensure that the house of God is maintained. The
Bible made us to understand that blessed is the hand that gives. I
took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit
this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't
want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. I
don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly
manner.

Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of
death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in
the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord will fight
my case and I shall hold my peace. I don't need any telephone
communication in this regard because of my health, because of the
presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I don't want them
to know about this development. With God all things are possible. As
soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
Security Company in Ivory Coast. I will also issue you a letter of
authority that will empower you as the original- beneficiary of this
fund. I want you and the church to always pray for me because the lord
is my shepherd. My happiness is that I lived alive of a worthy
Christian. Whoever that wants to serve the Lord must serve him in
spirit and truth. Please always be prayerful all through your life.
And any delay in your reply will give me room in searching for a
church or Christian individual for this same purpose. Please assure me
that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hearing
from you

Yours in Christ.
Mrs. Felizitas Agathe Gervas

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