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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: "Mrs.Aazam Mahdi" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <aazammahdi10@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 13:50:54 -0700
Subject: Confidential

Dearest ...

My Name is Aazam Mahdi, I was married to Late Engr.Ali Al-Kaabi Mahdi, who was an oil merchant, We were married for eighteen years with one son but our son pass away after the dead of his father on the airplane crash before he died , we deposited the sum of (Ten Million United State Dollars) in the bank and this money is still with the Bank.

In 2012 I started suffering cancer, fibroid problems and hearing impairments. Recently, because this cancer problem. Therefore I decide to donate this money to a single reliable who will use the Fund to build orphanage home and help the poor.

I am taking this decision because I do not have anybody that will inherit this money and my husband relatives Have Been very hostile and unkind to me since after my husband's death. I do not have any trace to any of my family relatives because my parents eloped to United Kingdom due to war and never mentioned home till They all died.If i didn't Will or Donate this money to anyone, the Bank will take it. So I want to bequeath it to you so That You can use it to help the poor in your country,less privilege and orphanage / motherless baby’s home in the whole world.

For legitimacy, I will Also give you a letter of authority (power of attorney) that will establish you as my appointed beneficiary to this money. If you delay in replying this mail, I will look for another individual who will accept to use this money to help the poor.

Remain blessed
Mrs.Aazam Mahdi
aazammahdi@yahoo.com

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