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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 KOCAN HELEN <kocanhelen@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2015 09:01:42 +0100
Subject: From Mrs Kocan Helen and Daughter

Warmth Greetings My Dear,

I crave your indulgence at this mail coming from somebody like me,
whom you does not know before. I decided to do this after praying over
the situation. You should please consider the transaction on its
content and not the fact that you have not known me before.

I need not dwell on how I came by your contact information because
there are many such possibilities these days.I would like to introduce
myself as MRS.KOCAN HELEN, of Republic of Benin, a widow to Late
MR.BENARD KOCAN I have been recently been diagnosed of Cancer of the
Pelvics and attending my medical treatment at St Victoria Private
Clinic here in Benin Republic. I am writing to you now from my sick
bed because of how this transfer is urgent to me.

Before the death of my husband,there is US$2.4 (Two Million Four
Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) my late husband deposited with
the AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, of which I am the next of kin. With my
health condition and because my late husband and I have one daughter
which is 14 years old ,I am looking for a credible person that will
not betrayed me to whom I will pass the right of next of kin so that
he will take good care of my Daughter.As she is only a little girl.You
are to adopt her as your Daughter.

This is in fulfillment of the last request of my husband: that a
substantial part of the fund will be used to carter for the less
privileged and also to orphanages.
If this condition is acceptable to you, you should contact me
immediately with your full names and contact information so that I
will send to you the contact information of the bank where the fund
was deposited and you will apply as the beneficiary of the fund
because I am going to present you as next of kin to the fund and also
send the authorization that will give you the right of next of kin to
the bank.

I can not predict what will be my faith by the time the fund will be
transferred into your account,but you should please ensure that the
fund is used as i have described above.I am looking forward on hearing
from you.The future of my Daughter is very important to me more than
anything.

Sincerely,
Mrs Kocan Helen and Daughter

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