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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <mrsnancysantos@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2012 22:43:22 +0100
Subject: greetings,

NEED A GODLY PERSON WHO CAN HANDLE US$21M PROJECT IN A CHARITY HOME.

ATTN. MY DEAR

I AM MRS NANCY SANTOS,THE WIFE OF LATE MR EL ZARAH SANTOS.I AM A WIDOW
AND I HAVE NO CHILD AND ALSO ON A SICK BED FACING CANCER OF THE BREAST
WHICH HAS LASTED FOR 9 MONTHS NOW.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY HUSBAND HE DEPOSITED US$21M IN A BANK OUT SIDE
MALAYSIA WITHOUT LETTING ANY OTHER PERSON KNOW EXCEPT ME THE WIFE,HE
MADE THIS MONEY WHEN HE WAS WORKING WITH THE MALAYSIAN CENTRAL
PRINTING AND MINTING COY. AND THE MONEY WAS PACKED IN A DIPLOMATIC BOX
AND MOVE THE SAME WAY DIPLOMATIC TO A BANK FOR SAFE KEEPING AND TO
AVOID HIS COMPANY NOT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS MONEY.

I AM 59 YEARS NOW AND I AM IN THE LORD BECAUSE ,I WANT WHO WILL GO
AND CLAIM THIS FUND OUT FROM THE BANK AND USE THE MONEY TO SET UP A
CHARITY HOME AND ALSO ASSIST CHURCHES ,WHO CAN HANDLE THIS MONEY
VERY WELL,

I CAN NOT WALK NOW AND I CAN GIVE UP ANY TIME SO I WANT THIS MONEY TO
BE OUT NOW SINCE I HAVE INFORMED THE BANK ABOUT MY CONDITION AND SAID
THAT ANY PERSON I APPOINT AS MY REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD COME WITH A
LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION FROM ME FOR THE CLAIM OF THE FUND.

YOU CAN SET UP THE CHARITY HOME ANY PLACE OF YOUR CHOICE INCLUDING
YOUR COUNTRY,AM IN THE HOSPITAL NOW SO I WANT GOD TO TAKE GLORY BEFORE
I DIE, I WANT THIS MONEY TO BE USED IN THIS WAY SO TAKE IT AS YOUR OWN
AS SOON AS YOU CLEAR IT, YOU PAY IT INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND DEDUCT ANY
EXPENSES YOU MADE IN PROCESS OF GETTING THIS OUT INCLUDING YOUR
TELEPHONE BILL.

I WANT YOU TO START THE PROJECT SOON,DUE TO MY HEALTH MY DOCTOR PLACED
A KIND OF BED REST ON MY COMMUNICATION LIMIT. THE DOCTOR SAID I HAVE
NOT MORE THAN TWO MONTHS TO LIVE.

AWAITING FOR YOUR URGENT REPLY.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS.

MRS NANCY SANTOS

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