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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 Fatima Farah <fatima.farah213@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Mrs Fatima Farah <fatima.farah212@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2015 11:00:35 +0900 (JST)
Subject: From Mrs. Fatima Farah


>From Mrs. Fatima Farah
 
Dear God's elect,
                           
I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears
in my eyes and great sorrow in my heart, My Name is Fatima Farah. And am
contacting you from my country Tunisia I want to tell you this because i don’t
have any other option than to tell you as i was touched to open up to you, I am
married to Mr. Toyo Farah who worked with Tunisia embassy in Burkina Faso for
nine years before he died in the year 2010.We were married for eleven years
without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only five days. Since
his death I decided not to remarry, When my late husband was alive he deposited
the sum of US$ 8.2m (Eight million two hundred thousand dollars) in BOA bank
the capital city of Burkina Faso. Presently this money is still in bank. He
made this money available for exportation of Gold from Burkina Faso mining.
 
Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not
last for the period of seven months due to cancer problem. The one that
disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to
hand you over this money to take care of the less-privileged people, you will
utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want you to take 30
Percent of the total money for your personal use While 70% of the money will go
to charity" people in the street and helping the orphanage. I grew up as
an Orphan and i don't have anybody as my family member, just to endeavor that
the house of God is maintained. Am doing this so that God will forgive my sins
and accept my soul because this sickness has suffered me so much. As soon as i
receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank in Burkina Faso and
I will also instruct my lawyer to issue you an authority letter that will prove
you the present beneficiary of the money in the bank that is if you assure me
that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein.
 
Fatima Farah

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