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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 Linda Shirley <hallmakintlsecuritiescompany@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2014 04:48:54 -0700
Subject: YOU ARE THE LORD CHOOSEN ONE.

YOU ARE THE LORD CHOOSEN ONE.

From: Mrs.Linda Shirley

Dear Friend,

Greetings to you in the most wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.

His richest blessings shall be upon you forever.

I am Mrs.Linda Shirley,I am 58 years old from Netherlands,i am deaf and
suffering from a long time cancer of the Lungs which also affected my
brain,from all indication my conditions is really deteriorating and it is
quite obvious that, according to my doctors they have advised me that i may
not live for the next two months,this is because the cancer stage has
gotten to a very bad stage.

I was brought up from a motherless babies home, was married to my late
husband for twenty years without a child.My husband died in a fatal motor
accident.Before his death we were true Christians. Since his death I
decided not to re-marry,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited
all the sum of $7.5million dollars with Security Company. Presently, this
money is still with them and the management just wrote me as the true owner
to come forward to receive the money for keeping it so long or rather issue
a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I
can not come over because of my illness or they get it confiscated.

Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been undergoing
treatment for cancer of the lungs. I have since lost my ability to talk and
my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live. It is my
last wish to see that this money is invested to any organization of your
choice and distributed each year among the charity organization,the poor
and the motherless babies home where i come from.I want you God fearing, to
also use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows.

I took this decision, before i rest in peace because my time will soon be
up. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
Security Company.I will also issue you a letter of authority that will
prove you as the new beneficiary of my fund. Please assure me that you will
act accordingly as I stated herein.

I shall wait at your prayerful reply.
Thanking you in His precious name.

Yours in His Service
Mrs Linda Shirley.

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