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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: "Mrs. Elizabeth Graham"<webmaster@wgvu.org>
Reply-To: graham13@rambler.ru
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2022 17:34:40 +0200
Subject: God bless you.


Hello Dear, I am Mrs. Elizabeth Graham, from Australia, lived in South Afri=
ca for 17years and London United Kingdom, a widow to late Dr. Barry Graham.=
I am 70 years old and presently suffering from Leukemia. My health conditi=
on has gotten worse and just two weeks ago my doctor informed me that my co=
ndition has reach a critical stage, and that I have just 3 months left. Thi=
s confirmation from my doctor was and still is devastating news; it is hard=
to know that you have just a little time left to live here. My late husban=
d was a contractor in both South Africa and London, he died in a plane cras=
h and during the period of our marriage we could not bear any child. My lat=
e husband was very wealthy and after his death, I inherited all his busines=
ses and wealth both in South Africa and London-United Kingdom. After the do=
ctor=92s medical pronunciation that I have just few months to live, I decid=
ed to divide my wealth to contribute to your country and Africa where my la=
te husband as a contractor made lots of money. I want to assist you with th=
e funds to do great charity works in your country, this is my last wish. I =
selected you after searching few websites; I prayed and was led to you. I a=
m willing to donate the sum of Three Million, Two Hundred thousand United S=
tates Dollars (USD$3,200,000.00) to the less privileged through you. Please=
I want to transfer this money to you as I am travelling to have my lawyer =
amend my WILL. If you can handle this fund and very sure to do charity work=
s on my behalf then I will include your name in my WILL when I meet with my=
Lawyer, and from there I will travel to Australia to meet a specialist as =
I want to be buried alongside my late husband when I passed on. Note that t=
his fund is in the financial institution and upon my instruction; I will fi=
le in an application through my family attorney for the transfer of the mon=
ey into your account for the said purpose. Lastly, I honestly pray that thi=
s money when transferred will be used for the said purpose even though I mi=
ght be late then. I have come to find out that wealth is vanity and I made =
a promise to God that my wealth will be used to support the poor and to ass=
ist the sick. Do let me know if you will be able to handle this fund and us=
e it for the said purpose so that I will inform my attorney and my bank on =
my decision. Reply to me using: graham14@rambler.ru God bless you. Mrs. Eli=
zabeth Graham. A Widow.=20=

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