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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.Christena Howard" <madamolivia19@gmail.com>
Reply-To: christena.howard@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 09:12:38 +0200
Subject: My Dearest in the Lord.

My Dearest in the Lord,

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.Christena Howard, I am 51 years old woman from USA, i am deaf
and suffering from a long time cancer of the Lungs which also affected
my life, 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 three 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.

I and my late husband lived in Burkina faso in West Africa for
Thirteen years because he served as Assistant Director with a Gold
Exploration Company then. Since his death I decided not to re-marry, I
sold all my inherited belongings landed properties, Bakeries and
Schools and deposited the sum of $16.5million dollars in a Security
Company as a family treasure. Presently, this money is still with
them.

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 in any
organization of your choice and distributed each year among the
charity organizations, the poor and the motherless babies home where I
come from. I want you a God fearing, to also use this money to fund
churches, orphanages and widows.

I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly
way. This is why I am taking this decision. I am not afraid of death
hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the
bosom of the LORD. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that "the lord will fight my
case and I shall hold my peace". I don't need any telephonic
communication in this regard because of my health condition and the
presence of my late husband's relatives around me always trying to
claim this money from me which my husband left for me. I don't want
them to know about this development. With God all things are possible.

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 family
treasure ($16.5million dollars) Please assure me that you will act
accordingly as I stated herein.

Please reply me back to my private email address (christena.howard@yahoo.com),

I shall wait at your prayerful reply.

Thanking you in His precious name.

Remain blessed in the Lord.
Yours in Christ.
Mrs.Christena Howard.

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