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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: "Julene Ellefson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ellefson.julene@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2014 15:54:19 -0700
Subject: MY DEAR FRIENDee

Dear Friend,
 
My name is Mrs.Julene Ellefson I am a dying woman who have decided to donate what I have to you/ church. I am 63 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 9 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for.
 
I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to you for the good work of God, rather than allow my relatives to use my husband hard earned funds ungodly.
 
Please pray, that the good Lord forgive me my sins. I have asked God to forgive me and beleive he has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in for an operation in less than one hour.
 
I decided to WILL/donate the sum of &15,500,000 (Fifteen million Five hundred thousand dollars) to you for the good work of the lord, and also to help the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows. At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls right now due to the fact that my relatives are around me and my health status.
 
I have adjusted my WILL and my lawyer who is in the NETHERLANDS now, and he is aware that i have changed my will to you and he will arrange the transfer of the funds from my account to yours. I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to
others.
 
Below is the information of my lawyer.
Name:  Barrister Benito Alvin
Email: barrister.benito_alvin@yahoo.com.hk
Phone Number: +31208111525
Contact him and tell him that I have WILLED. I know I dont know you but I have been directed to do this. Thanks and God bless.
 
NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will Jeopardize my last wish. And Also I will be contacting with you by email as I don't want my relation or anybody to know because they are always around me.
 
Regards,
Julene Ellefson

Anti-fraud resources: