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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: Stella Scarbonu <rose.dossou1979@gmail.com>
Reply-To: s.carbonu@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2020 19:17:25 -0700
Subject: Dear friend,


Dear friend,

Greetings. I know that this message will look strange, surprising and
probably unbelievable to you, but it is true and reality. I want to
transfer the sum of: £15,000,000 (Fifteen Million Pounds) to you. I am
contacting you by the Will of God. My name is: Engineer Mrs. Stella
Scarbonu, I am a British business woman specialized in mining raw Gold and
Diamond in Africa; but now I am very sick with esophageal cancer which has
damaged almost all the cells in my organisms/system and I will soon die
according to my doctors. My late husband died in an accident with our two
daughters a few years ago leaving me with our only son who is just 9 years
old. Now, my biggest concern is my only little son who does not know
anything about life and has nobody to take care of him after I am dead;
because I and my late husband do not have any relation, we both grew up in
the orphanage home and got married under orphanage as orphans. If I die
soon, my innocent child would be left alone in the wilderness and I do not
wish to send him to any orphanage home, I want my son to grow up in the
hands of an individual, not an orphanage. Please, can you take my son to
your home and raise him up as your own son? I am begging you in the name of
God to sincerely accept my proposal; let me order/instruct my bank to wire
transfer my entire fund worth the sum of: £15 MILLION to your account in
your country immediately, then you take my son to your home and raise him
as your own son.

Please reply immediately so that i will tell you full details on how the
money would be transferred to your account and send you all the vital
documents for your perusal.

Yours Sincerely,
Engr. Mrs. Stella Scarbonu.

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