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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. Evelyn Clarkson" <webmaster@aktio.co.th>
Reply-To: mrs.evelynclarkson@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2015 15:35:18 -0700
Subject: Good Morning to You


Good Morning to You, Let me first of all inform you that I got your email a=
ddress from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go=
ahead. I am Mrs. Evelyn Clarkson from Dublin Ireland, married to Oran Clar=
kson an oil company worker who died of food poisoning, my Husband and I wer=
e married but without any children, since his death I decided not to re-mar=
ry and presently I am 81 Years old. When my late husband was alive he depos=
ited the sum of USD$21M with a financial institution and the management jus=
t wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rathe=
r Issue a letter of authority to somebody to receive it on my behalf. I am =
presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing Cancer of the lungs tr=
eatment, I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me t=
hat I have only a few days to live so I think the best thing to do is to us=
e the money for charity purposes. I want a person who is trustworthy that I=
will make the beneficiary of my late husband's Fund deposited with the ban=
k so that the person can get the money and utilize 70% of this money to fun=
d churches, orphanages and widows around the world while the remaining 30% =
will be yours. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you an authoriz=
ation letter/ contact details of the financial institution to proceed in co=
ntacting them, Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated h=
ere in and Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get t=
o your Custody. This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on =
Earth; I await your urgent reply through my email address: mrs.evelynclarks=
on@yahoo.com Regards, Mrs. Evelyn Clarkson=20

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