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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: Regina Robert <reginarobert88@gmail.com>
Reply-To: reginarobert25@ymail.com
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2011 13:49:20 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Dearest beloved friend.


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Dearest beloved
friend.
 
PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO USE IT FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD. As you read
this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will
die someday. My name is Mrs Regina Robert, I was married to late Dr. Anthony 
Robert, a contractor and diamond dealer for Thirty-two years before he died in
the year 2004.
 
I am Mrs. Regina Robert, I am 61 years old, I am
suffering from a long time cancer of the breast which also affected my brain.
From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my doctors have
courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next two months, this is
because the cancer stage has reached a critical stage.
 
I was brought up
in a motherless baby's home, and was married to my late husband for twenty years
without a child. My husband and I are true Christians, but quite unfortunately,
he died in a fatal motor accident on his way to the neighbouring country for a
Charity donation, since we do not have a child of our own.
 
Since his
death I decided not to re-marry, I sold all my inherited belongings and
deposited all the sum of $3.2million dollars with a Bank in Ouagadougou -
Burkina Faso, West Africa where we spend our life together.
 
Presently,
this money is still in their custody, and the management just wrote me as the
Legitimate beneficiary to come forward to receive the money after keeping it for
so long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on
my behalf since I can not come over as a result of my illness, or they get it
confiscated.
 
Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have
been undergoing treatment. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors
have told me that I have only a few months to live.
 
It is my last wish
to see that this money is invested in any organisation of your choice and
distributed each year among the charity organization, the poor and the
motherless baby's home where I come from.
 
I want your good
humanitarian, to also use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows
around. I must let you know that this was a very hard decision, but I had to
take a bold step towards this issue because I have no further option. I hope you
will help see my last wishes come true.
As soon as I receive your reply I
shall give you the contact of the Bank. I will also issue you a letter of
authority which will prove that you are the new beneficiary of my funds, and the
documents concerning the deposit. Please assure me that you will act accordingly
as I stated herein. Hope to hear from you Soonest. I am waiting your
response.
 
Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Regina
Robert.



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