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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: "Mariam El Bashir" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mariam.bashir2@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2014 06:02:57 +0200
Subject: Personal

My Dear Beloved, I am writing l\this mail to you with heavy tears in my eyes and great sorrow in my heart, However, My name is Mariam El Bashir from Syria, I am 45 years old and exposed to a violent incident of a bomb blast that affected my hearing ability and damage to my brain which the Doctor has told me stop full functioning very soon. I have requested for (euthanasia) the act or practice of ending the life of myself which was also declined.
I was married to my late husband for 17 years without a child; he was a philanthropist and senior Syria Army officer. He defected and join the Syria Revolutionary and Opposition Forces to fight president Bachar el-Assad because of the brutal murder of Syria people by his government. As a result of his defection He was arrested because he defection to join the opposition army and later killed by president Bachar el-Assad.
Before his death by president Bachar el-Assad, he has deposited Five million Six Hundred thousand US Dollars with Sns Bank Nederland with a notary to oversee this funds incase anything happens to him. I Due to my health conditions, I will need to act on my behalf to receive this funds if you wish to as our legitimate beneficiary with the documents covering the deposit of the funds which I will send your upon your acceptance

I'm now in a hospital where I am undergoing treatment And my last wish is to make sure you to build a foundation in memory of my late husband for the orphanage when you receive the fund in your account. Immediately I receive your reply, I will also instruct the bank, lawyer to issue you a letter of authorization that will prove you the sole beneficiary of the fund. Please assure me that you will act on
humanitarian motives Thank you.

Yours Sincerely
Mariam El Bashir
Reply to Email: mariam.bashir2@aol.com

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