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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: HELLO <browny4k@netscape.net>
Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2006 13:37:09 +0200
Subject: Hello


DEAR FRIEND,

MY NAME IS JOSEPH BROWN,A MERCHANT IN DUBAI,IN THE U.A.E.
I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ESOPHAGEAL CANCER WHICH WAS DISCOVERED VERY LATE,DUE TO MY LAXITY INCARING FOR MY HEALTH.IT HAS DEFILED ALL FORMS OF MEDICINE,AND RIGHT NOW I HAVE ONLY ABOUT A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE,ACCORDING TO MEDICAL EXPERTS.

I HAVE NEVER PARTICULARLY LIVE MY LIFE SO WELL,AS I NEVER REALLY CARED FOR ANYONE NOT EVEN MYSELF BUT MY BUSINESS.

THOUGH I AM VERY RICH,BUT WAS NEVER GENEROUS,I WAS ALWAYS HOSTILE TO PEOPLE AND I ONLY FOCUS ON MY BUSINESS AS THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I CARED FOR.

BUT NOW I REGRET ALL THIS AS I NOW KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST WANTING TO HAVE OR MAKE ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD.

I BELIEVE WHEN GOD GIVES ME A SECOND CHANCE TO COME TO THIS WORLD I WOULD LIVE MY LIFE IN A DIFFRENT WAY FROM HOW I HAVE LIVED BEFORE.

NOW THAT GOD HAS CALLED ME THROUGH THIS WAY I HAVE WILLED AND GIVEN MOST OF MY PROPERTIES AND ASSETS TO MY IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED FAMILY AND AS WELL AS FEW CLOSE FRIENDS.

I WANT GOD TO BE MERCIFUL TO ME AND ACCEPT MY SOUL AND SO,I HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE ALMS TO CHARITY ORGANISATIONS,AS I WANT THIS TO BE ONE OF THE LAST GOOD DEEDS I DID ON EARTH.

SO FAR,I HAVE DISTRIBUTED MONEY TO SOME CHARITY ORGANISATIONS IN THE U.A.E ALGERIA AND MALAYSIA.NOW THAT MY HEALTH HAS DETERIORATED SO BADLY,I CANNOT DO THIS MYSELF ANYMORE.

I ONCED ASKED MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO CLOSE ONE OF MY ACCOUNTS AND DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS WHICH I HAVE THERE TO CHARITY ORGANISATION IN BULGARIA AND PAKISTAN,THEY REFUSED AND KEPT THE MONEY TOTHEMSELVES.

HENCE,I DO NOT TRUST THEM ANYMORE,AS THEY SEEM NOT TO BE CONTENDED WITH WHAT I HAVE LEFT FOR THEM THE LAST OF THE FUNDS WHICH NO ONE KNOWS OF IS THE HUGE CASH DEPOSIT OF THIRTY FIVE MILLION DOLLERS($35,000,000,00) IN EUROPE WITH A CARGO SHIPPING/SECURITY FIRM.

I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU CAN BE OF GOOD HELP TO DISPATCH THIS FUNDS TO CHARITY ORGANISATIONS.

I HAVE SET ASIDE 10%FOR YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE.

MAY GOD BE WITH YOU AS YOU HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE A BOLD STEP TO HEAL THE WORLD WITH ME OR EVEN IN MY DEMISE...

PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE MAIL BOX ,AS I WILL ONLY BE BUSY
ACCESSING MY PRIVATE BOX browny4k@netscape.net , WAITIMNG FOR YOUR REPLY.

BEST REGARDS,

JOSEPH

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