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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. Mary Brenda Greenberg." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <marybrenda6@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 15:51:14 +1300
Subject: From: Mrs. Mary Brenda Greenberg.(Please, Reply)

Dear Beloved

I searched for you because you are important to me even though you dont know me and we have not met
before but without you I can achieve little of my goal.
I am Mrs. Mary Brenda Greenberg, wife to Late Mr. Martin Greenberg, I am 66 years old , am suffering
from a long time cancer of the breast that has affected my hearing with swollen legs and my
condition is getting worse daily and has gotten to a severe stage that need surgery operation to
correct some complications.

My late husband died during the Liberia war as a relief distributor and we had no child, so I
inherited his wealth after his death, but My doctor told me that I may not live much more longer as
a result of the sickness and old age, I got scared about what he told me, So I now decided to use
the wealth for charity work . Your duty is to help me claim the fund out of the security bank and
distribute the fund due to my ill health that cannot enable me to follow matter with the security
bank.

I selected you after my fervent prayers and fasting and it was revealed to me for this purpose, I
have a total sum of #39,000,000.00 Million USD deposited in a security bank, and I am wishing to
give it out for charity and help the poor and 20% will be for your effort and services, I will
be most grateful to hear from you with your personal information to enable me forward them to the
security bank for confirmation of my new beneficiary:


(1) FULL NAME ;( 2) RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS :( 3) HOUSE TELEPHONE /
MOBIL NUMBER :( 4) AGE / SEX (5) MARITAL STATUS / OCCUPATION: (6) ID CARD OR
INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT:

In receiving your information I will communicate you and instruct the security bank to process the
release/transfer to your account as my final and true beneficiary to my money.
May almighty God, bless you and family.

Yours truly,
Mrs. Mary Brenda Greenberg.

Anti-fraud resources: