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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: "NAT-WEST" (may be fake)
Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:35:24 +0100
Subject: Help...

Dear beloved one in Christ,
I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you but the lord chose you, I came across your email contact from my personal search and i decide to email you on here on my sick bed in hospital and I believe that you will be honest to fulfill my final wish before I will die.
I am Mrs Karen Freeman from Fredonia, New york United State of America but presently in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia,and I am 69 years old, I am deaf and don't hear and suffering from a long time cancer of the breast,From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and doctor Sam 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 babies home, and i was married to my late husband Johnson Freeman for twenty years without a child.
My husband and I are true Christian's,we lived all day in Abuja Nigeria , since he was working here as a contractor, but quite unfortunately,he died in a fire Burt he burn to ashes none of is body was found,Since his death I decided not to re-marry and because of my bad stage of health,I sold all our inheritance belongings to me and my late husband Johnson and deposited all the total sum of $98.8Million United State dollars with the Central Bank of Nigeria Flushing Nigeria and all our jewelries Diamonds and Golds with a security company in Nigeria here and i still have my wedding rings with me here,can i trust you and will you be honest with me my dear beloved one in Christ?
Presently, this money is still in the BANK, and the management of the Central Bank of Nigeria just write 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 some one i trusted to receive it on my behalf since I can not come over because of my illness, or they get it confiscated to move into government account as an unclaimed funds and i don't want these to happen to me my beloved one cause this is me and my late husband hard earns, Presently I'm with my laptop here in Malaysia Hospital where I have been undergoing treatment, I have since lost my ability to talk and Doctor Sam have told me that I have only a few months to live On earth.
It is my last wish to see that me and my late husband hard earn money is invested in any organization of your choice and distributed yearly among the charities organization, the poor and the motherless babies home where I come from, I want your good humanitarian to also use these money to fund churches, orphanages homes and widows around your environments.
I must let you know that these was a very hard decision, but I had to take a bold step towards these 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 information of my Bank Manager Mr Oliver Bello in the Security Company, I will also issue a letter of authorization in your name from my late husband attorney so you can forward to my bank, which will prove that you are the new beneficiary of my funds, Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated in my email, Hope to hear from you soonest my beloved one in Christ.
I await your response back my beloved one in Christ My first Email to reach me back : freemankaren91@yahoo.com
Yours sincerely sister in Christ,
Mrs Karen Freeman.

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