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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: Mme GLADYS ARIELLE LAWSON <lawson.gladys.arielle@religious.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 20:31:21 +0100
Subject: BONJOUR, =?UTF-8?Q?TR=C3=88S=20URGENT?=

Bonjour
Je me nomme Madame GLADYS ARIELLE LAWSON, né le 12 juillet 1954,
ressortissant Française ayant exercé comme diplomate depuis des années.
J'ai un cancer de la gorge et je souffre terriblement en ce moment. Mon
médecin traitant vient de m'informer que mes jours sont comptés du fait
de mon état de santé dégradante. Ma situation matrimoniale est telle que
je suis veuve et encore moins des enfants à qui je pourrais léguer mon
héritage. C’est pour cela que je voudrais de façon gracieuse, par amour
pour la peinture et l'art et par humanisme vous donner ce dit héritage
s'élevant à 2.150.000, 00 dollars (Deux million cent cinquante mille
dollars) pour vous permettre de créer une fondation ou galerie ou une
association pour enfants et les nécessiteux ou pour tout autre bonne
œuvre humanitaire. De façon à ce que mon passage sur terre ne soit pas
un échec. Je vous demande que vous acceptiez ceci parce que c'est un
cadeau que je vous fait et ceci sans demander rien en retour. Je Souffre
énormément et j'ai très peur, parce que je ne veux pas mourir sans
avoir donné tout cet argent. Je compte sur votre bonne volonté et
surtout le bon usage de ces fonds.
Dans l'attente de vos nouvelles,recevez mes très cordiales salutations.
LAWSON GLADYS ARIELLE
_____________________________________________________

Hello
I name myself Mrs GLADYS ARIELLE LAWSON, born on July 12th, 1954, French
national having exerted as diplomat since years. I have a cancer of the
throat and I suffer terribly currently. My attending physician has just
informed me that my days are counted because of my health status
degrading. My matrimonial situation is such as I am widowed and even
less children to whom I could bequeath my heritage. Therefore I would
like way gracious, by love for painting and art and by humanism to give
you this known as heritage rising to 2,150,000, 00 dollars (Two million
a hundred and fifty thousand dollars) to allow you to create a
foundation or gallery or an association for children and the needy ones
or any other good humane work. So that my passage over ground is not a
failure. I ask you that you accept this because it is a present which I
gives you and this without asking anything in return. I Suffer
enormously and I am very afraid, because I want to die without to have
given all this money. I count on your good will and especially the good
use of these funds.
In waiting of your news, receive my very cordial greetings.
LAWSON GLADYS ARIELLE

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