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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. Bethanie Lee" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bethaniiele@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2011 08:38:48 +0100
Subject: God Bless You

Dear Friend,
 
My name is Mrs. Bethanie Lee I am a dying woman who have decided to donate what I have to you/ church. I am 63 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer about 9 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for. I am a citizen of the United Kingdom and china. My husband was the C.E.O Chun lin export company. The company folded up and sold it's assets with other capital investment of my late husband which was converted to cash and was deposited in a financial cooperation here in the United Kingdom. I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to the you for the good work of God, rather than allow my husbands relatives to use my husband hard earned funds ungodly.
 
Please pray that the good Lord forgive me my sins. I have asked God to forgive me and believe he has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in for an operation in less than one hour. I decided to WILL/donate to you for the good work of the lord an amount worth about 12 million Great British pounds to help the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows. At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls right now due to the fact that my relatives are around me and my health status.
I had an encounter with Christ when Rev. Billy Graham was preaching on television concerning Ananas and Sapphires who told lies when they were told to bring money ,so that lives of people will be saved in Acts 5:1-11. After hearing the word of God, I gave my life to Christ and became a born again Christian. As a born again Christian, I started reading my bible and one day, the Lord opened my eyes to Ezekiel 33: 18 and 19 where the word of God says: "When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby�. Giving to the Less privileged is the rightful thing for me to embark in now.
I have adjusted my WILL and my lawyer and he will arrange the transfer of the funds from my account to you. I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.
 
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. And Also I will be contacting with you by email as I don't want my relation or anybody to know because they are always around me.
 
Regards,
Bethanie Lee.

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