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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: "Mrs. Dominica Gbagbo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsdominicagbagbo@terra.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 19:31:05 +0200
Subject: Re: Cancer Victims Are Sufferring

 
There is no doubt that this mail will bring surprise to you because we have not met before, but I encourage you to join in the race to help the poor and physically challenged.
 
All I require of you is to open a fresh account if you dont have one and send me the details so I can authorize my bank to wire funds to the account to set up a charity project for the benefit of the motherless children and widows.
 
This mail is based on my dying desire here in the hospital to link an honest and trusted person to carry on my project in helping the less privileged and cancer victims; hence my health cannot permit me any longer because I am one of the cancer victims and know how many lives it has destroyed.
 
I Pray this mail meets you in good state of mind, it is a reminder of our duties to the less privileged children in our society.
 
Permit me to trust your capability in handling this task.
 
Full details will be made available upon your response for this task of motherless babies and cancer afflicted touches your heart.
 
Awaiting your reply.
 
Mrs. Dominica Gbagbo

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