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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Elizabeth Irwin" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <elizabeth.irwin@aol.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2014 09:32:50 +0100
Subject: Hello Dear...How Are You?

Dear friend,
I am a dying woman who has been diagnosed of an esophageal cancer of the lungs, and my condition presently is deteriorating, though what bothers me most is the stroke that I had added to the cancer, and the doctor declared to me that I have limited days to live.
Considering this fact and illness that has befallen me, I have decided to seek for your assistance in carrying out my last wish, by helping me do the good work of the Lord, thereby assisting the widows, disables and orphans in the society, with the sum of 6.7 Million GBP for this great project, as I have decided to make you the beneficiary to this sum which I inherited from my late husband who was a seasoned contractor with the Exxon Mobil Corporation and Shell Petroleum Company in Europe, before he died after a brief sickness that lasted for one week.   If you are interested and willing to help carry out my last wish in doing the work of the Lord, do contact me via e-mail:  elizabeth.irwin@aol.co.uk
I will provide you with more details as soon as I receive your positive response to my request.
Thanks.
Mrs. Elizabeth Irwin

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