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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: "Sarah Pitchard" <sarah@ravel.com>
Reply-To: "Ms. Sarah Pitchard" <pitsarah5@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2019 04:25:47 +0100
Subject: Project


Good day, =

=

With warm hearts I offer my friendship and my greetings to you in the name =
of our lord God, and I hope this letter meets you in good time, I propose w=
ith my free mind and as a person of integrity from God, I know that this me=
ssage will appear as a surprise to you that we barely know but the grace of=
God directed me to you and I wish you read this message and be blessed in =
name of the Lord.
=

I have a brain tumour, I suffer terribly at the moment. My doctor just info=
rmed me that my days are numbered because of my health, therefore condemned=
to certain death. Currently, I have exhausted all my savings for my medica=
l care, but I do have some funds for my charity project. The said funds are=
deposited in a fixed deposit in a local bank in Benin Republic. The fund i=
s meant for charitable foundation. My marital status is such that I'm singl=
e because I lost my Husband for over 9 years now and unfortunately we didn'=
t have a child together, which should inherit my legacy. I would like to ma=
ke a donation, so there will not be a stiff tax to release my funds.
=

I would be so graceful to help the poor, by giving away Twenty Four million=
and Five Hundred euros (=20AC4,500,000.00), to enable you to establish a c=
haritable foundation in my memory, so that the grace of God be with me unti=
l my last home call, so I can receive an honorable place with the Lord our =
father. I devoted my entire life doing the work of charity, so it is import=
ant to me that you continue from where I've stopped. I want you to take thi=
s transaction seriously as I've faith that you will do what is necessary to=
conclude this project.
=

Know that you can keep half of the money for yourself and the rest will be =
used to create a charitable foundation in my memory and fund a fight agains=
t cancer and also build orphanages. Please you should send me the following=
details: Your full names, your address and your current phone contact, so =
I can forward them to my lawyer to prepare the necessary documents to comme=
nce with the fund release procedure. I am happy that I have got someone rel=
iable and capable of continuing my work of charity. I have faith in you and=
hope for the best outcome of my proposed project.
=

Awaiting your prompt reply, receive my cordial and fraternal greetings.
=

Yours Sincerely,
Sarah Pitchard.

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