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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: <mrscatherine.thomas@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2016 21:17:09 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: I need your help.



I need your help.    
 

I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears In my eyes and great  sorrow in my heart, My Name is  mrs catherine.thomas and I am contacting  you from my country Tunisia I want to tell you this because I don't  have any other option than to tell you as I was touched to open up to  you, I married to Mr.ouedrago Brown who worked with Tunisia embassy in  Burkina Faso for nine years before he died in the year 2009.We were  married for eleven years without a child.

He died after a brief illness that lasted for only five days. Since  his death I decided not to remarry, When my late husband was alive he  deposited the sum of US$ 8.5m (Eight Million Five hundred Thousand  Dollars) in a bank in Ouagadougou the capital city of Burkina Faso in  west Africa Presently this money is still in bank. He made this money  available for exportation of Gold from Burkina Faso mining.


Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the period of  seven months due to cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is  my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to hand you  over this money to take care of the less-privileged people, you will  utilize this money the way I am going to instruct here

I want you to take 30 Percent of the total money for your personal use  While 70% of the money will go to charity, people in the street and  helping the orphanage. I grew up as an Orphan and I don't have any  body as my family member, just to end endeavor that the house of God  is maintained. Am doing this so that God will forgive my sins and  accept my soul because these sicknesses have suffered me so much.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the  bank in Burkina Faso and I will also instruct the Bank Manger to issue  you an authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of  the money in the bank that is if you assure me that you will act  accordingly as I Stated herein.

Always reply to my alternative for security purposes (  mrscatherinethomas8000@gmail.com)

Hoping to receive your reply:
From mrs catherine.thomas

Anti-fraud resources: