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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: "Bronwyn Van Es." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsb.van1961@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2018 17:00:28 +0100
Subject: Awaiting Your Reply

Dear,
 
I apologize for encroaching your privacy, however, my sincere greetings to you and family. On a very serious note, I have an
urgent and very important reason for writing you cause I got your contact from one of my late husband's diaries. In brief, I am Mrs.
Bronwyn Van Es from New Zealand presently living in Benin Republic, West Africa where I have lived for decades together with my late
husband. I have no children and before the death of my late husband we agreed to open an orphanage home for motherless children but
unfortunately he died without fulfilling his dream.
          However, I still vow to fulfill this dream but presently, I am very sick, hospitalized in Benin Republic. I have been recently
diagnosed with cancer of the pelvis and my doctor said it is very serious. Therefore, I am contacting you to assist me control my
charity project which involves a huge amount of funds ($10.500.000.00). I have contacted you in order that I will hand over
this project to you for fulfillment of our wish/dream on earth (myself and my late husband) because my doctor told me that I am not going to
live long.
       Please I am humbly waiting your urgent reply for full details because I don't know what next might happen to me considering my
current health situation. You can please get back to me if you are willing and ready to take up this project for more details okay.
     Sincerely,
     Mrs. Bronwyn Van Es.
 

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