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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, MARY WILSON" <marywilson40013@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <mrs_marywilson26@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2007 08:10:35 -0600
Subject: DEAR FRIEND, YOU ARE GOD SENT



DEAR FRIEND, YOU ARE GOD SENT.FROM MRS MARY WILSON.YOU ARE GOD SENT PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO USE IT FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD. GREETING IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. I AM, MRS MARY WILSON, A WIDOW TO LATE WILSON HERALD .I AM 48 YEARS OLD, I AM NOW A NEW CHRISTAIN CONVERT, SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THAE BREAST, FROM ALL INDICATION MY CONDITIONS IS REALLYDETERIORATING AND IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT I WON'T LIVE MORE THAN NINE MONTHS, ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS, THIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER STAGE HAS GOTTEN TO A VERY BAD STAGE. MY LATE HUSBAND KILLED DURING THE U.S. RAID AGAINST TERRORISM IN AFGHANISTAN, AND DURING THE PERIOD OF OUR MARRIAGE WE COULD'NT PRODUCE ANY CHILD.MY LATE HUSBAND WAS VERY WEALTHY AND AFTER HIS DEATH, I INHERITED ALL HIS BUSINESS AND WEALTH. THE DOCTORS HAS ADVISED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN NINE MONTHS,SO I NOW DECIDED TO DEVIDE THE PART OF THIS WEALTH, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEDEVELOPMENT OF THE CHURCH IN AMERICA ASIA, AND EUROPE. I SELECTED YOU AFTER VISITING WEB SITES AND I PRAYED OVER IT.I AM WILLING TO DONATE THE SUM OF $8,500.000.00 U.S DOLLARS, TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED. PLEASE I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT FUND IS LYING IN A BANK IN LONDON. I HONESTLY PRAY THAT THIS MONEY WHEN TRANSFERRED WILL BE SURE FOR THE SAID PURPOSE, BECAUSE I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT WEALTH ACQUISITION WITHOUTCHRIST IS VANITY. MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AMENKINDLY GET BACK TO ME VIA MY PRIVATE EMAIL I NEED THESE ITEMS AS STATED BELLOW:NAME... ADDRESS...TEL/FAXLINE...PROFESSION... AGE... SEX...REMAIN BLESSED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.YOURS IN CHRIST,MARY WILSON
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