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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: Maigh <elvimaigh@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: elvimeigh@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:02:53 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Hello My Beloved One In Christ.

From Mrs. Elvi Meigh.

Hello My Beloved One In Christ.

I greet you with the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, It is true that this letter may come to you as a surprise. Nevertheless, I humbly ask you to give me your attention and hear me well. My name is Mrs. Elvi Meigh from Australia. I am married to Mr. Edward Meigh who worked with our Embassy in Ivory Coast ( Cote D'ivoire ) for a period of 16 years before he died.

We were married for 25 years without a child before he died after a brief illness. Since his death I decided not to remarry due to my religious belief. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$10.5m (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United State American dollars ) with a Bank in Cote D'ivoire. Presently this money is still in the custody of the Bank in Cote D'ivoire. Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next Four months due to cancer illness.

Having known my condition I decided to donate this money to churches, organisation or good person that will utilise this money the way I am going to instruct herein.

I want you to use this money for churches, Charity organisation, orphanages, widows and other people that are in need. l took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money . Moreover, my husband relatives are not close to me since I devolop a Cancer problem and it had been their wish to see me dead in order to inherit his wealth since we have no Child. These people are not worthy of this inheritance. This is why I am taking this decision.

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my ill-health. As soon as I receive your reply I will give you the contact of the Bank in Cote d'ivoire where this money is deposited. I will also issue a letter of authorisation to the bank that will prove you the present beneficiary of this money. I also want you to always put me in prayer.

Any delay in your reply may give me room to look for another good person for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein.

Hoping to receive your response soonest.

Thanks and Remain blessed.

Yours sister in the Lord,

Mrs. Elvi Meigh

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