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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: Cynthia Johnson <wy@jinyang.sh.cn>
Reply-To: <cynthiajohnsoni0@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Feb 2016 10:43:45 -0600
Subject: HOPING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU ?

Hello , my dearest ,
 
How are you today ? Hope fine .
I'm happy in your reply to my mail. Mine a little hot here in Dakar, Senegal . My name is Miss Cynthia Johnson Bathrand from Tripoli Libya , I am 24 years old and 5.11 feet tall, never married before. I would really like to have a good relationship in spite of anything because I have this feeling that you are my life , and you will not betray me .
 
I am currently living in a refugee camp here in Dakar, Senegal as a result of the civil war that broke out in my country Libya by former President Colonel Muammar Gaddafi . I decided to let you know everything about me because I have faith , and God was leading me to know you after fasting with prayer for him.
 
My Late father  Dr Bathrand Johnson was the personal adviser to the former head of state Muammar Gaddafi, and also onw national oil company in Libya before the rebels attacked our house one early morning and killed my father and mother on the spot. I was locked by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees , the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) here in Dakar Senegal. It was only me that is alive and I was brought here in Senegal through the help of the Commission , where I am residing in a church orphanage home called "CARITA'S .
 
(http://www.caritas.sn)
 
I send you an e-mail from the Rev. computer , in this camp does not allow us to get out , just like one staying in the prison and I hope by the grace of God I will come out of here soon . I do not have any relatives now whom I can go to all my relatives ran away in the middle of the war , and the only person that I have now is Rev. John Dada , who is the patron of the (Christ The King Church) here in the camp he was very nice for us , I am leaving at the inn women and because the camp have two hostels one for men and one for women .
 
Please contact me via telephone line Pastor ( +221-784-372-869 ) . I want to hear your voice , once calling the pastor tell him you want to talk with Miss Cynthia Johnson in the refugee camp of Libya here in Senegal and he would send for me to talk to you OK. A refuge I do not have any right or privilege to any thing be it money or whatever because it is against the law in this country . I want to go back to my studies because I attended my first year at the  (SOCIAL SCIENCE) in the University just before the tragic incident that lead to my stay in this situation now took place .
 
Dearest , I tell you about me with love and trust i deposit on you and I think with God all things are possible , I have confidence in you , and he was willing to God that leaded me to know you after fasting with offering prayers . I share everything with you about me in the strictest confidence . My father gave me a late filing of his file and I am the next of kin and told me to hold it as he recovers from his injuries without sensing that death is already in the corner. Gave my father up the ghost by Monday 6th of March 2011 which is exactly five days, the rebels attacked our house and killed my mother instantly with other relatives , and death never given the opportunity of having to enjoy the comfort of my home is good, and I am always believe God knows best .
 
Please listen to this , and I have a certificate of deposit and my late father and death certificate with me which I will send to you later , when my late father was alive he deposited some amount of money in a leading bank in Europe which he used my name as the next of kin , and the amount mentioned is U.S. $ 6,500,000 ( Six million five hundred thousand dollars of United States dollars) . So I will like you to help me transfer this money to your account and from it you can send me some money for me and get my travel documents and air ticket to come and meet over there in your Country and leave a new life with you for a better life , and to continue my studies at the private care .
 
And please i will like you to kept this as secret because i am afraid of losing this money and i don't this rebels that kill my late family to know that i am still alive and i also kept this as secret to people in the camp here , and in the light of the above I will like you to keep it to yourself , do not tell it to any one,' that I 'm afraid of losing my life and the money if people or my late colleague 's father gets to know about it .
I remember giving you all this information due to the love and trust I deposed on you. I like an honest person and understanding , honesty and a man of vision , truth and hardworking. My favorite is the English I speak Arabic and french also very fluently.Meanwhile i will like you to contact me like I said I have a lot to tell you .
 
I would like to know more about you , and your likes and dislikes , hobbies and what you are doing at the present time , I will tell you more about my money inherited in my next mail . Have a nice day and think about me . Attached here is my picture . I humbly wait to receive your reply soon . I wish you the best.
Love you ,
Miss Cynthia

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