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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. Ann Gomes" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsanng@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:24:15 +0200
Subject: Hello dearr

From: Mrs. Ann Gomes
22 Oxford Court,
Manchester,
M2 3WQ,
England.
Email: mrsanng@gmail.com
Here writes Mrs. Ann Gomes, suffering from cancerous ailment. I am married to Mr. Thomas Williams an Englishman who is dead. My husband was into private practice all his life before his death. Our life together as man and wife lasted for three decades without child. My husband died after a protracted illness. My husband and I made a vow to uplift the downtrodden and the less-privileged individuals as he had passion for persons who cannot help themselves due to physical disability or financial predicament.
I can adduce this to the fact that he needed a Child from this marriage, which never came. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of (Three Million Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) USD3, 300,000.00 which were derived from his vast estates and investment in capital market with a Bank here in UK.
Presently, this money is still with the Bank. Recently, my Doctor told me that I have limited days to live due to the cancerous problems I am suffering from. Though what bothers me most is the stroke that I have in addition to the cancer. With this hard reality that has befallen my family and me, I have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this gift which comes from my husbands effort to fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans, destitute, the down-trodden, physically challenged children, barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely handicapped financially.
I took this decision 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 do not want this money to be misused hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus {14 VS14} says that the Lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my soundless voice and presence of my husband's relatives around me always.
I will give you details to contact me lawyer with his specified email address once I hear from you. Tell him that I have WILLED the said sum to you and the reason for doing this is best known to me.
NB: I must let you know that this business is not a business I can entrust in anybody's hand but only a trust worthy person like you because of the way and manner I got your contact. You were recommended to me as a trust worthy person by a very good friend who work in my country's chambers of commerce this is were all businesses and individual contact are kept, but I did not reveal to him the nature of business I was going to have with you and this business requires strict confidentiality that is why I can not do it with a relative or friend because I do not want any body closed to be aware, I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will Jeopardize my last wish. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing another person for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I have stated herein.
Yours Sister,
Mrs. Ann Gomes
Email: mrsanng@gmail.com
 

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