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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 Silvia Lopez <mrssilvialopez@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2013 15:48:39 +0000
Subject: Re:PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP

Dear God's Select,

I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears In my eyes and great
sorrow in my heart, My Name is Mrs Silvia Lopez, and I am contacting
you from my country Tunisia I want to tell you this because I don't
have any other option than to tell you as I was touched to open up to
you, I married to Mr. Lopez Daisy Brown who worked with Tunisia
embassy in Burkina Faso for nine years before he died in the year
2005.We were married for eleven years without a child.

He died after a brief illness that lasted for only five days. Since
his death I decided not to remarry, When my late husband was alive he
deposited the sum of US$ 8.5m (Eight Million Five hundred Thousand
Dollars) in a bank in Ouagadougou the capital city of Burkina Faso
inwest Africa Presently this money is still in bank. He made this
money available for exportation of Gold from Burkina Faso mining.

Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the period of
seven months due to cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is
my stroke sickness .Having known my condition I decided to hand you
over this money to take care of the less-privileged people, you will
utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein.

I want you to take 30 Percent of the total money for your personal use
While 70% of the money will go to charity" people in the street and
helping the orphanage. I grew up as an Orphan and I don't have any
body as my family member, just to endeavour that the house of God is
maintained. Am doing this so that God will forgive my sins and accept
my soul because these sicknesses have suffered me so much.

As soon a s I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the
bank in Burkina Faso and I will also instruct the Bank Manger to issue
you an authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of
the money in the bank that is if you assure me that you will act
accordingly as I Stated herein.

Please, contact me through my private email address:(mrssilvialopez@yahoo.fr)
Always reply to my alternative for security purposes

Hoping to receive your reply:
>From Mrs Silvia Lopez.

Anti-fraud resources: