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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: "Maria Elena Rivillas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mariaelenarivillas1961@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:37:10 +0100
Subject: GOOD DAY DEAREST ONE.............

Hello Dear.!!!
 
My name is Maria Elena Quintero Rivillas an American citizen based in United Kingdom, I am a dying woman who has decided
 
to donate what I have to charity Organization through you. You may be wondering why I choose you. But someone has to be
 
chosen. I am suffering for cancer about 7 years ago and my husband who had left me everything he worked. I have been
 
touched by the lord to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to charity Organization through you for the
 
good work of humanity.
 
I have asked the lord to forgive me all my sins and I believe he has, because He is merciful. I will be going in for an
 
operation, and I pray that I survive the operation. I have decided to WILL/Donate to the charity Organization through you
 
for the good work of the lord, and to help the motherless, less privileged and also for the assistance of the widows.
 
At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls because I can hardly talk, and I have been restricted by my doctor from
 
taking telephone calls because I deserve all the rest I can get.Presently, I have informed my lawyer about my decision in
 
WILLING this fund to charity through you. I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please
 
use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.
 
If you are interested in carrying out this task, please provide the following information’s stated below:
 
NO 1: YOUR FULL NAME.
NO 2: YOUR HOME ADDRESSES
NO 3: CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER. (HOME TELEPHONE AND MOBILE TELEPHONE).
NO 4: YOUR MARITAL STATUS.
NO.5: YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION.
NO 6: YOUR PASSPORT COPY OR DRIVER'S LICENSE.
 
I know I have never met you before, after my prayers, my mind tells me to do this, and I hope you act sincerely. When the
 
money is in your account, you will take 20% of the total amount and give the balance to the charity organization in your
 
country.
NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished, as I don't want anything
 
that will make my late husbands relatives to jeopardize my last wish.
Please Forward the requested information’s so that I will advise you what to do to receive this fund so that the Charity
 
Home can be established in our names. If this business interest's you, kindly reply to my private email address stated
 
herein: mariaelenarivillas1961@gmail.com
 
I am looking forward to receive the requested information to enable us proceed into action.
Mrs.Maria Elena Quintero Rivillas
 
 

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