419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "calvary greetings" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Rosemary Ford" <gmanagerg@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <rmjpp@yandex.ru>
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 14:25:36 +0000
Subject: =?windows-1256?Q?READ_CAREF?= =?windows-1256?Q?ULLY_(PLEA?=
=?windows-1256?Q?SE_REPLY_B?= =?windows-1256?Q?ACK)=FE?=

Good morning my friend,

Calvary greetings in the name of Almighty God, I am Mrs. Rosemary Ford, a widow to Late (Phyllis Ford). I live in London, United Kingdom,
69 years old, I am suffering from cancer of the breast, my condition is
serious and according to my doctor it is quite obvious that I may not
survive the sickness.

My late husband and my
only son died in the crash of Swissair Flight 111 on the 2nd, of
September 1998. After the death of my husband I made up my mind to do
the work of God as a missionary. I sold all my husband's properties and
shares to enable me raise some money to continue my mission. I raised
the sum of (US$10.5MILLION DOLLARS) which I deposited with a Security
Company. Now that my sickness has gone to this stage, I am scared and I
want the fund to be used for the work of God all over the world.

I have prayed to God to
direct me to an honest PERSON who will receive this fund and utilize it
for things that will glorify the name of God, after my prayers.

As predicted by the medical doctor, I am afraid that Nobody Knows Tomorrow, therefore I have assigned the fund to you.

I await your urgent reply.

Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Rosemary Ford

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam