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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 HAAFKENS HAAFKENS <meriamhaaf01@yahoo.com.au>
Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2006 21:23:14 +1000 (EST)
Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE


FROM.MRS, MARIAM HAAFKENS OF NETHERLAND
....................................... ...........................................
Greetings,
I am the above named person from Netherland,I am married to Dr.Haafkens who worked with NETHERLAND Embassy in Nigeria for eleven years before he died in the year 2000.We were married for twenty seven years without a child.He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were Muslims.
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of (Four Million six hundred thousand U.S.Dollars)with a Bank in NETHERLAND Presently, this money is still with the bank and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather issue a letter of authorisation to somebody to receive it on my behalf, if I can not come over.
Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital(UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL IDIARABA LAGOS) where I have been undergoing treatment for cancer of the lungs. 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 this money distributed to charity organizations.Because relatives and friends have plundered so much of my wealth since my illness, I cannot live with the agony of entrusting this huge responsibility to any of them.
Please,I beg you in the name of God to help me collect the deposit and the interest accrued from the bank and distribute it accordingly. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank.I will Use your name as the owner of the money that will prove you as the new beneficiary of this fund. I want you and the church to always pray for me because the Lord is my shephard.
My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. whoever that wants to serve the Lord must serve him in good spirit and truth. Please always be prayerful all through your life. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for another person for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hearing from you soon. waiting for your reply Yours in Christ,
Mrs.Mariam Haafkens

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