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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: BETTER JOHNSON <better_johnson@aol.fr>
Reply-To: BETTER JOHNSON <better_johnson@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:01:50 +0900 (JST)
Subject: HELLO


FROM: MRS.BETTER JOHNSON
DEAR BELOVED ONE,

I AM MRS BETTER JOHNSON FROM AMERICA. I AM MARRIED TO MR. EDWARD JOHNSON HE WAS AN EXPORTER IN THE TRADE OF COFFEE AND COCOA IN THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST CALLED ABIDJAN. WE ARE MARRIED FOR TWENTY YEARS WITHOUT A CHILD BEFORE HE DIED LAST YEAR. HE DIED AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS THAT LASTED FOR ONLY FOUR DAYS. BEFORE HIS DEATH, WE WERE BOTH BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN. SINCE HIS DEATH, I DECIDED NOT TO REMARRY OR GET A CHILD OUTSIDE MY MATRIMONIAL HOME WHICH THE BIBLE IS AGAINST.

WHEN MY LATE HUSBAND WAS ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF $8.7 MILLION (EIGHT MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S. DOLLARS) IN A SAFE PLACE HERE IN ABIDJAN IVORY COAST AND NAMED ME THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE DEPOSIT. NOW THAT HE IS DEAD, I HAVE DECIDED TO INVEST THE MONEY OUTSIDE THIS COUNTRY FOR POLITICAL AND SAFETY REASONS.
RECENTLY, MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NOT LAST FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS DUE TO CANCER PROBLEM. THE ONE THAT DISTURBS ME MOST IS MY STROKE SICKNESS. HAVING KNOWN MY CONDITION I DECIDED TO DONATE THIS FUND TO CHURCH/PERSON THAT WILL UTILIZE THIS MONEY THE WAY I AM GOING TO INSTRUCT HEREIN.

I WANT A GOOD PERSON THAT WILL USE THIS FUND FOR ORPHANAGES, WIDOWS, PROPAGATING THE WORD OF GOD AND TO ENDEAVOR THAT THE HOUSE OF GOD IS MAINTAINED. I ALSO MADE UP MY MIND TO GIVE YOU 15% OF THE TOTAL SUM. THE BIBLE MADE US TO UNDERSTAND THAT" BLESSED IS THE HAND THAT GRIVET. I TOOK THIS DECISION BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY CHILD THAT WILL INHERIT THIS MONEY AND MY HUSBAND RELATIVES ARE NOT CHRISTIANS AND I DON'T WANT MY HUSBAND'S EFFORTS TO BE USED BY UNBELIEVERS. I DON'T WANT A SITUATION WHERE THIS MONEY WILL BE USED IN AN UNGODLY WAY. THIS IS WHY I AM TAKING THIS DECISION. I AM NOT AFRAID OF DEATH HENCE I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING. I KNOW THAT I AM GOING TO BE IN THE BOSOM OF THE LORD. EXODUS 14 VS 14 SAYS THAT "THE LORD WILL FIGHT MY CASE AND I SHALL HOLD MY PEACE". WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR REPLY I SHALL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO FOLLOW THIS PROJECT. I WANT YOU TO ALWAYS PRAY FOR ME BECAUSE THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD. MY HAPPINESS IS THAT I LIVED A LIFE OF A WORTHY CHRISTIAN. WHOEVER THAT WANTS TO SERVE THE LORD MUST SERVE HIM IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH

PLEASE ALWAYS BE PRAYERFUL ALL THROUGH YOUR LIFE. ANY DELAY IN YOUR REPLY WILL GIVE ME ROOM IN SOURCING FOR ANOTHER CHURCH/PERSON FOR THIS SAME PURPOSE.

REMAIN BLESSED IN THE LORD.
YOURS IN CHRIST,
MRS. BETTER JOHNSON.

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