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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: mrselizabeth powell <mrs02elizabeth@msn.com>
Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 09:04:55 +0000
Subject: PRAY FOR ME



Dear friend,

I crave your indulgence at this mail coming from somebody you have not known before. I decided to do this after praying over the situation. Please consider my condition, and not the fact that you have not known me before. I need not dwell on how I came by your contact information because there are many such possibilities these days. I am Mrs.Elizabeth Powell,a citizen of Northern Ireland. I am the wife and widow to Late Mr. Julius Powell (a former Northern Ireland Envoy ), who died in 2005.

I have recently been diagnosed of Cancer of the Pelvic and my doctor said," no hope of survivi".I am writing from my laptop on my sick bed . My husband left in a charity trust foudation account ,the sum of £25 Million in the First Trust Bank of Northern Ireland.And my husband is the only child of his deceased parents.Because of my deteroriating health condition and my husband's death, I am looking for a credible person to whom I will pass the right of next of kin as I and my husband have no child to pass over the right of next of kin.

This person will apply to the bank and request for the transfer of the fund to his or her bank account. This is on the condition that you will take 35% of the fund for yourself,5% will be used to settle expenses incured.While you will use the remaining 60% for the less privilege people in the society. This is in fulfillment of the last request of my husband: That a substantial part of the fund be used to carter for the less privilege and ,also to donate for the relief of tsunami victims.If this condition is acceptable to you, you should contact me immediately with your full names and contactinformation On the receipt of your interest,I will instruct you on what to do ,to commece the proccess immediately.Due to the seriousness of my illness,I cannot predict what will be my fate . If you are interested to assist me in this charitable service for sake of humanity.

You can send me Email through the above address mrselizabeth1930@hotmail.com
hanks and GOD bless you.
Mrs. Elizabeth Powell

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