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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: Janice Howard <gw543111@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Janice Howard <janicehoward@inmano.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2015 18:05:31 +0900 (JST)
Subject: News from hospital.

Hello.
This is Mrs. Janice Howard, writing from Hospital; therefore this message is very urgent.

I have a donation to make which I will need your assistance to carry it out for me in your country, I will be 62 years old in the next 8 days, a widow and a servant of the Lord for the past 38years in Ivory Coast.

I inherited some money $2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) from my late husband Mr. Isaac Howard; I want to give it out to Orphanage and Charity Organizations as a vow which I made before the Lord.

I have a lung and breast cancer and will be going for my third operation next two weeks, though the doctor have already confirmed that I will only last for some months but I am happy and glad that the Lord has kept me safe and guided me to accomplish my mission on earth. I will be happy to meet Him where He wants me to be.

I want you to contact my house helper; I have given him the documents of the money and have directed him to a lawyer that will assist you to change the documents of the money to your name to enable the bank transfer the money to you. I will send to you the contact of my house helper upon the receipt of your letter and readiness to carry out this Godly work that the lord has chosen you to do.

He will give you the documents of the money and will direct you to the lawyer that I have appointed to him; the lawyer will assist you to change the documents of the money to your name to enable the bank transfer the money to you.

And if I don’t hear from you within two days, I will look for another God fearing person the same purpose.
May God bless you and use you to accomplish my wish.
Pray for me always.
Mrs. Janice Howard.

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