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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 Helen Caudill <mrshelencaudill23@outlook.fr>
Reply-To: <mrshelencaudill1@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2013 08:24:51 +0000
Subject: From Mrs.Helen Caudill


>From Mrs.Helen Caudill
Based on your good profile i want to solicit for your help in fulfiling my wish, i am Mrs.Helen Caudill.68yrs old widow, my husband and i worked with Tullow oil London, United Kingdom before he died seven years ago. I am writting you this message via a computer lap top on my sick bed at the hospital were i am undergoing medical treatment,i have been diagnosed of endometrial cancer,unfortunatelly for me my doctor said i don't have any chance to survive except by a miracle and i have spent a lot of money on medical treatment yet no improvement. The reason why i am writting you this email is because i want you to stand as beneficiary to the sum of my $ 3.5 Million (Three million five hundred thousand united states dollars) which i inherited from my late husband. I dont have any bilogical child of my own who will inherit this money neither do i have any adopted child. Donating this $3.5 Million Dollars (Three million five hundred thousand united states dollars) as charity is the only legacy i can leave behind after my death, please help me to fulfill this goal before i die.I would like you to pls convert 25% of the total sum for your own personal use so that you could use the remaning money very well as i have stated. If you are willing to help me receive this money and do as i wish then do respond immediately and i will give you required details. Expecting your response soonest. Sincerely,Mrs.Helen Caudill.

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