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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: "LEGAL SERVICE BENEFITS FUND" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jen_arnold1@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2015 17:21:46 -0400
Subject: LEGAL SERVICE BENEFITS FUND

Attenton: Beloved
My apology for sending you this information by e-mail instead of a Certified/Post-mail. I got your contact through my personal search via the internet and I decided to contact you due to the urgency and importancy. I don't want you to feel sorry for me because I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Mrs. Jennifer Arnold a dying woman of 58 years old I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so I have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the Oman, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore.
I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan; they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them, this is my reason for writing and making the following proposal to you I took this decision because I have no child that will inherit this funds.
I must let you know that this transaction is 100% risk free the last of my money which no one knows of is huge cash deposit of united state dollars $5,500,000Million US Dollars that I have with a finance/Security Company. I will want you to dispatch it to charity organizations if only you will be sincere.The nature of this FUND does not necessary matter all I demand from you is assurance that you will not sit on this funds when it finally gets to your personal or company's account in your Country
NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as I do not want anything that will jeopardize my last wish and I do not want my relations and my family members to know because they are always around me. Please do not share my email address with anyone as I have received some emails from some unscrupulous people claiming to be charity organizations and other weird stories.
God be with you.
Please contact my lawyer with this specified email below I have notified him that I have adjusted my WILL to you,
EQS VANDEN BRINK
Email:  vicenden.brink@aol.com
 

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