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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: "Mrs. Maureen Greaves" <ziohonare@gmail.com>
Reply-To: maureenagreavesm1@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2022 17:53:08 +0100
Subject: MY BELOVED IN CHRIST,

Greetings
My beloved in Christ, I got your profound contact email from a
computerized data, following my fasting & praying effort searching for
a reliable and trustworthy person to assist me in this venture.I am
Mrs. Maureen Greaves, married to Late Alan Greaves (PhD} who worked
with Total S.A. the French Multinational Integrated Oil and Gas
Company and one of the five "Super major" oil companies in the world
as their Africa drilling rig supplier for 17 years before his death On
Christmas Eve 2013

Before his death we were both devout born again Christian;
lay-preacher and former social worker and my late husband Alan
Greaves; was an organist at the church for 40 years, before his was
attacked and beaten with a pickaxes on his way to play at Midnight
Mass at St Saviour's Church in Sheffield and he died in hospital three
days later as you can confirm this link as stated below

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2529286/A-year-murder-organists-widow-breaks-vigil.html

A year after his murder, organist Alan Graves' widow.
www.dailymail.co.uk The widow of a church organist fatally injured on
Christmas Eve last year played a leading role in an emotional
candlelit service at the spot where he was attacked

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-25417344

When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of ($15.5M) with a
bank in Cotonou Benin where he worked for 17 years last as the
TotalS.A. Africa drilling rig supplier.I am contacting you because of
the recent report from my Doctor told me that I have some weeks to
live due to cardiac and kidney failure problem, having known my
condition, I seek your concept and permission to present you to the
bank as as my late husband foreign investors to retrieve the fund and
utilize for establishing an orphanages home for the poor and needy,
and also propagating the word of God and to endeavor that the house of
God is maintained.I shall give you the full detailed documents of the
fund as soon as I hear from you.Any delay in your reply will give me
room in sourcing another good person for this same purpose.Hoping to
receive your response immediately

Thanks and Remain blessed in the Lord.
I Remain your sister in Christ.
Mrs. Maureen A. Greaves
Church Army evangelist

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