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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: Rosemary Williams <bettyandlucky@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: Rosemary Williams <rosewilliams950@yahoo.fr>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2015 16:11:36 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Re: Urgent!


Greetings,

I write to you in good faith hoping that you will understand the importance of my email. My decision to contact you is because I have been recently diagnosed with Cancer and the doctor said I have less than 6 months to live. Since this sudden news was announced to me, and the serious operation which they also said that I will be going to have by next week because my cancer is (metastatic)I'm not sure what will be the final.

However my late husband had some funds which he deposited with a security company here in (Ivory Coast). This fund was made for esterblishment of cocoa chocolate factory, before his death. Now this fund is what i have decided to donate for charity work through a God fearing person. which you must use sincerely for charity works and help to the less privileged one in your country, because my late husband relative are very wicked people i suspects they have hands in the death of my husband, also to my own case as well so for this reason i don’t want them to have any access or inheritance to this fund.

Since my doctor said i have one week for my operation, i will like us to have a final (WILL) testament in your favor as the beneficiary to the fund, incase i did not succeed this operation, although all is in the hands of God. So please i will like that you go through my email as soon as possible and get back to me with assurance that you will work with me so that i will forward you the contacts of the (security and asset management firm) where the funds was deposited, for you to contact them  as my next of kin/beneficiary and seek their advice on how the funds will get to you for onward exterblishment of my wishes to the glory of God.

Thanks and remain blessed,
Yours sincerely,

Rosemary Williams.

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