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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: evangivy@info.com
Reply-To: ivykarisha@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2015 17:07:10 +0700
Subject: DEAREST BELOVED (VERY IMPORTANT)


DEAREST IN THE LORD, I AM SORRY IF YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE BULK/SPAM FOLDE=
R KINDLY MOVE IT TO INBOX I AM WRITING THIS E-MAIL TO YOU WITH TEARS AND SO=
RROW FROM MY HEART. WITH DUE RESPECT, TRUST AND HUMANITY, I APPEAL TO YOU T=
O EXERCISE A LITTLE PATIENT AND READ THROUGH MY LETTER. I FEEL QUITE SAFE D=
EALING WITH YOU IN THIS IMPORTANT CALL. I AM EVANG. IVY KARISHA FROM UNITED=
STATES OF AMERICA, 64 YEARS OLD, 6FIT TALL, FAIR, MARRIED TO A CITIZEN OF =
ENGLAND. I CAME TO THE INTERNET, BECAUSE I NEEDED A FRIEND I COULD TRUST TO=
HELP ME SEE THE NEED OF LESS-PRIVILEGES. I AM DEAF AND SUFFERING FROM A LO=
NG TIME CANCER OF THE BREAST WHICH ALSO AFFECTED MY BRAIN. ACCORDING TO MY =
DOCTORS THEY HAVE ADVISED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, T=
HIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE. I WAS BROUGHT UP =
IN AN ORPHARNAGE HOME AND WAS MARRIED TO MY LATE HUSBAND FOR TWENTY YEARS W=
ITHOUT A CHILD, MY LATE HUSBAND DIED IN A FATAL MOTOR ACCIDENT. I SOLD ALL =
MY INHERITED BELONGINGS AND DEPOSITED ALL THE SUM OF $3.6 MILLION DOLLARS W=
ITH A SECURITY INSURANCE. PRESENTLY, I'M IN A HOSPITAL WHERE MY DOCTORS HAS=
ADVISED ME THAT I HAVE ONLY 2 MONTHS TO LIVE. IT IS MY LAST WISH TO SEE TH=
AT THIS MONEY IS INVESTED TO ANY ORGANIZATION OF YOUR CHOICE AND DISTRIBUTE=
D EACH YEAR AMONG THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION, THE POOR, ORPHANAGE HOME, WIDOW=
S, I TOOK THIS DECISION, BEFORE I REST IN PEACE BECAUSE MY TIME WILL SOON B=
E UP. AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY I SHALL GIVE YOU THE CONTACT OF THE S=
ECURITY INSURANCE. PLEASE ASSURE ME THAT YOU WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY AS I STAT=
ED HEREIN. HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. EVANG. IVY KARISHA

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