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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: Karen Wright <hendycrasky_03@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Karen Wright <karenwright191@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2014 18:13:31 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Christian Greetings from Mrs Karen Wright,


                                                                                                             
Christian
Greetings from Mrs Karen Wright,

I am writing this mail to you With due respect, trust and humanity, I appeal to
you to exercise a little patience and read through my letter, I feel quite safe
dealing with you in this important message, I sincerely writing this email to
you with pains, tears and sorrow from my heart, I will really like to have a
good understanding with you and i have a special reason why i decided to
contact you, I decided to contact you due to the urgency of my situation.

My name is Mrs Karen Wright writing you from hospital bed, Therefore this
message are very urgent. I have a donation to make which I will need your assistance
to carry it out for me, I will be 55 years old this coming month, I'm a widow
and a servant of the lord for the past 38 years in Ivory Coast.

I have sum of $2.5 Million, two million five hundred thousand United States dollars
with my late husband Mr. Parker Wright; I want to give it out to Orphanages
homes and Charity Organizations as a vow which I made before the lord.

I have a serious lung and breast cancer and will be going for my third surgical
operation next two weeks, though the doctors had already confirmed that I will
only last for some months but I am happy and glad that the lord has kept me
safe and guided me to accomplished my desires here on earth, I will be happy to
meet him where he wants me to be.

This is the favour I need from you when you received the money under your
control.

(1) Give 70% of the money to Charity organizations, Orphanage homes and
Churches e.t.c, on my name so that my soul may rest in peace.

(2) The remaining 30% should be for you and others that you may wish to assist.
If you did not here from you in few days to come then i will be looking for
someone else.

May God give you a good heart to assist me for the benefit of suffering
children and use you to accomplish my wishes;
 
Remain
Blessed in the Lord
Yours sister
Mrs Karen Wright

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