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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 GRACE WILLIAM" <grace_william33@noipmail.com>
Reply-To: mrsgracewilliam@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:55:45 +0400
Subject: May the good God bless you.



Seedorf Specialist Hospital
602 Michigan Ave.
MI 49423
Netherland-Holland

 

Dear Friend,


 

Greetings to you and your family in the name of God. In my search for
a reliable and God fearing person and having gotten your contact
through prayers and painstaking efforts I have decided to seek your
help in carrying out my last wishes. My name is Mrs. Grace William.
I’m a 55 years old woman and from Netherland-Holland. I was a
merchant and owned two businesses in Dubai. I was also married with
two children. My husband and two children died of HIV/AIDS three years
ago.
 
Before this happened, my business and concern for making money was all
I live for. I never really cared about other values in life. But since
the loss of my family, I have found a new desire to assist helpless
families. I have been helping orphans orphanage/motherless homes. I
have also donated some money for humanitarian needs in Sudan, South
Africa, Cameroon,Brazil, Spain, Austria, Germany and some Asian
countries.
 
Only recently I saw on television the colossal loss of properties and
livelihood people in Canberra, Australia through fire. I was moving
with great pity and compassion that I decided to make this
contribution on assisting people over there, I kept £20.5 Million
Great British Pound(Twenty Million,Five Hundred Thousand Pounds) in a
long-term deposit account in HSBC Bank in London. Presently, I'm in a
hospital where I have been suffering for HIV/AIDS in Netherland. I
have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I
have only few months to live.
 
It is my last wish to see this money distributed to victims of the
fire outbreak in Australia and other charity organization. I have
enclosed for you the Current Photograph I took,because my relatives
and friends have plundered so much of my wealth since my illness, I
cannot live with the agony entrusting this huge responsibility to any
ofthem.Please, I beg you in the name of God to help me collect the
money and distribute it accordingly.
 
Use your judgment to distribute the money and keep 20% of it to
yourself. If you are willing to help, please reply as soon as
possible. With your phone number. Once I receive your urgent reply, my
attorney will assist you to have this fund clear from the HSBC Bank
London where the money is deposited.May the good God bless you.
 
Regards
Mrs. Grace William


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