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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Pastor Douglas Humfery" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <church_father@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2016 06:29:49 -0700
Subject: FROM PASTOR HUMFERY (PLEASE GET BACK TO ME )

LETTER FROM PASTOR DOUGLAS HUMFERY Greetings Dear Foreigner It is the Almighty that directed you to me after series of prayers .That you are a trust worthy person and will assist me achieve this mutual beneficial business transaction .i am pastor Douglas Humfery ,a banker by profession .I wish to seek your assistance for the transfer of US$10.5M depository made by a foreign investor for an investment program me that has remained dormant for years now. I discovered that the account holder died without making a WILL on the depository. and upon my further curious investigation, the deceased was a member of a government agency where huge amounts were reportedly missing. I got your contact E-mail address through the internet in my search to find a trustworthy person on whom I can repose confidence for colossal international money transaction. My aim of sending this "business proposal" to you is to solicit for your assistance and co-operation to transfer this amount of fund into your account overseas. Therefore, this communication should be held in high confidence. This money cannot be approved to a local bank account holder here , but can only be approved to a foreigner abroad ,since the late depositor was a foreigner like you . If you will stand as next of kin to the fund, it will be shared 50% for you and /50% for me as the business pioneer . I have lived all my life in Africa and never traveled overseas, i shall provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction. I need your assistance and co-operation to this reality as I have done my Home-work and fine tune the best way to create you as the beneficiary of the fund. My position as the branch manager of the bank will be used to advance this deal cause we must follow due process. i need a foreigner like you to claim this fund ,so i can use my own share to help the church and also less privilege Eg motherless and the fatherless and beggars instead of leaving the fund as unclaimed funds. I will like you to provide immediately your full Names and country you reside ,so i can discuss further with you and also enable my Attorney prepare all the necessary documents and affidavit which will put you in place as the next of kin. The Attorney will draft and carry out the notarization of the WILL and also obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor for the claim. I will appreciate your early reply for commencement of business. Contact me for acknowledgment by E-mail . If this proposal is acceptable by you, I expect that you will not take undue advantage of the trust I will bestow upon you. I await your urgent response. Do reply me thru this e-mail (humfery_pastor@yahoo.com) I await your urgent response. Thanks with great regards. Sincerely Pastor Douglas Humfery

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