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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: "Mary James" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mary.james401l@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2018 22:41:01 -0800
Subject: I WILL HELP YOU

Dear Sir/Madam
My name is Mary James I’m 75yrs old, a U.S.A Citizen. I am good merchandise with several industrial companies and good shares in various Banks in the World. I spent all my life on investment and co-operate business. All the way I lost my husband and two beautiful kids in fatal accident that occur in November 5th 2014.
I am a very greedy woman with all cost I don't know much and care about people, when I have an experience of my difficult to sleep and give rest. Later in the year 2015 February I was sent a letter of medical checkup, as my personal Doctor diagnosed that I had a lung cancer, which can easily take off my life soon. I found it uneasy to survive, because a lot of investment cannot be run and manage by me again. I quickly call up a cancellor to give me positive thinking on this solution, as my adviser. He suggested to me to share my properties ,wealth, to motherless baby, orphanage homes, people that need money for survivor both student that need money, business woman and man for their investment and for future rising, which I have helped many people.
So I am writing this letter to you to contact me urgently. so that I can make available preparation on that release my remaining fund to you, especially women of the day, who are divorced by their husband, why they cannot survive the means of feeding themselves.
Please contact me and stop weeping. Probably let me know what you really need the money for, also help me to distribute money to nearest orphanages homes near your town. Now am so much with God,. May the almighty God bless you, as you reach me, please to remind you? I will give more information to you as I await your response immediately.
Best Regards.
Mrs Mary James.

Anti-fraud resources: