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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: <buy@excelway.net>
Reply-To: <mrsmichelle15@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:24:14 +0800
Subject: From: Mrs. Michelle Napolean

From: Mrs. Michelle Napolean.
Address: 90-3, Jalan Molek 3/10 Taman Molek, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Email: napolean@blumail.org

Beloved,
I am Mrs. Michelle Napolean, suffering from cancerous ailment.
I was married to Sir Napolean Norbert an English shipping tycoon
notable for his great charitable activities before his
death in April 2nd, 2006..
When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of
Thirty Million US Dollars ($30,000,000.00 USD) which
were derived from his vast estates and investment in
capital market with his bank here in MALAYSIA and named me as the
beneficiary of this trust fund. (All records are kept with
my family lawyer).
Presently, this money is still with the Bank.
My Doctor told me recently, that I have limited days to
live due to the cancerous problems that I have been
suffering from. Though what bothers me most
is the stroke that I have in addition with the cancer. With
this hard reality that has befallen me, I have decided to
donate this fund to YOU and i want you to use this gift
which comes from my Late husbands effort to establish a
charity home for the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans,
destitute, thedown-trodden, physically challenged children,
barren-women and persons who prove to be genuinely
handicapped financially.
I took this decision because I do not have any child that
will inherit this money and my husband relatives are
bourgeois and very wealthy persons and I do not want my
husband hard earned money to be misused or invested into
ill perceived ventures, which is the reason i took this
bold decision. I do not need any telephone communication in
this regard due to my deteriorating health and because of
the presence of my husband relatives around me. You can
contact me through my personal email address:

napolean@blumail.org

Please assure me that you will act just as I have stated
Herein.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Remain Blessed,
Mrs. Michelle Napolean.

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