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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Carol Harmony." <tomo2851@athena.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mrs. Carol Harmony." <mrs.carol@outlook.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2014 02:30:24 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Please I Need Your Help.

Good-day Friend,

Greetings, I know that this message will look strange, surprising and probably unbelievable to you, but it is true and reality. I want to transfer the sum of: (Twenty Two Million Pounds) to you. I am contacting you by the Will of God. My name is: Mrs. Carol Harmony, I am a British business woman specialized in mining of raw Gold and Diamond in Africa, but now I am very sick with cancer. My late husband died in an accident some years ago leaving me with our only child who is just 8 years old, and now I have esophageal cancer which has damaged almost all the cells in my organisms/system and I will soon die according to my doctors.

My most concern now is my only little son who does not know anything about live and has nobody to take care of him after I am dead, because I and my late husband does not have any relation, we both grew up in the orphanage home and got married under orphanage. If I die soon my innocent only child would be left alone in the wilderness of life and I do not wish to send him to any orphanage, I want my son to grow up in the hands of an individual, not orphanage. Please, i am begging you in the name of God if you can sincerely accept to take my son and raise him in your home as your own son, I will order my bank to transfer my fund worth the sum of: Twenty Two Million Pounds to your account in your country immediately, then you take my son to your home and raise him up there as your own child.

Please if you are willing to help me, reply immediately then i will tell you every details. PLEASE THIS IS NOT A JOKE.

Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Carol Harmony.
IN GOD I TRUST.

Anti-fraud resources: