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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: "Theresa Spratling" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <thespratling00@outlook.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2016 19:44:54 +0700
Subject: DEAR BELOVED IN CHRIST

DEAR BELOVED IN CHRIST,

IT IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT I RECEIVED CHRIST,KNOWING THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH HAVE SET ME FREE.HAVING KNOWN THE TRUTH I HAD NO CHOICE THAN TO DO WHAT IS LAWFUL AND RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD FOR ETERNAL LIFE AND IN THE SIGHT OF MAN FOR WITNESS OF GOD'S MERCY AND GLORY UPON MY LIFE.

I AM MRS THERESA SPRATLING FROM USA.I AM MARRIED TO DR.MIKE SPRATLING WHO WORKED WITH CHEVRON/TEXACO IN EGYPT FOR TWENTY YEARS BEFORE HE DIED IN THE YEAR 2010.WE WERE MARRIED FOR TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS WITHOUT A CHILD, HE DIED DURING ONE OF THE RIOTS IN THE EGYPT.

WHEN MY LATE HUSBAND WAS ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF US$ 4,800,000 ( FOUR MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THEY WROTE ME TO COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE THE MONEY OR RATHER ISSUE A LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION TO SOMEBODY TO RECEIVE IT ON MY BEHALF IF I CAN NOT COME OVER BECAUSE OF MY CONDITION AT HAND.

I AM PRESENTLY WITH MY LAPTOP IN A HOSPITAL WHERE I HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR CANCER OF THE LUNGS, I HAVE SINCE LOST MY ABILITY TO TALK AND MY DOCTORS HAVE TOLD ME THAT I HAVE ONLY A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE.IT IS MY LAST WISH TO SEE THAT THIS MONEY IS INVESTED AND AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR DISTRIBUTED AMONG CHARITY ORGANISATION. AND FOR YOUR COMPESATION, AS SOONAS THE MONEY ENTERS YOUR ACCOUNT TAKE 30% OF THE TOTAL MONEY, WHILE 70% WILL BE FOR THE WORK OF GOD.

I TOOK THIS DECISION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALOT OF POOR PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM DIFFERENT KIND OF DISEASE AND NOBODYTO COME TO THEIR AID BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY I SHALL GIVE YOU THE DIRECT CONTACT OF THE (SNS FINANCE BANK), WWERE THE MONEY IS. I WILL ALSO ISSUE YOU A LETTER OF AUTHORITY AND CERTIFICATE OF CLAIM THAT WILL PROVE YOU AS THE NEW BENEFICIARY OF THIS FUND.

GET BACK TO ME WITH THE FOLLOWING :

YOUR FULL NAME
HOME ADDRESS
TELEPHONE # HOME/MOBILE

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT REPLY.

YOURS IN CHRIST,

MRS. SPRATLING.

Anti-fraud resources: