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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: Windy Brown <windyb1@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: Windy Brown <windyb65@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:34:19 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: From Mrs. Windy Brown


 From Mrs. Windy Brown 
I pray that this mail will find you in good health. It’s my pleasure to write to you and I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you, I came across your email contact from my personal search and I decided to contact you in order for you to help me carry out my wish. I believe that you will be honest and sincere to fulfill my final wish before anything will happen to me.
 
I am Mrs. Windy Brown ,I am 65 years old, I am suffering from a long time cancer of the breast, which also affected my health. From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my doctors have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next few months; this is because the cancer stage has reached a critical stage. I was brought up in a motherless baby's home, and was married to my late husband for twenty years without a child. My husband and I are true Christians, but quite unfortunately, he died in crisis.
 
Since his death I decided not to re-marry, I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited all the sum of $3.2M dollars with a Bank in Africa. Presently, this money is still in their custody, and the management just wrote me as the Legitimate beneficiary to come forward to show the new beneficiary or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I can not come over as a result of my illness, or they get it confiscated. Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment.
 
It is my last wish to see that this money is invested in any organization of and distributed each year among the charity organization, the poor and the motherless baby’s home etc. I want your good humanitarian, to also use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows around. I must let you know that this was a very hard decision, but I had to take a bold step towards this issue because I have no further option. I hope you will help see my last wishes come true. And i want you to please be sure that everything is handle perfect and legitimately.
 
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Bank in Africa. I will also issue you a letter of authority, which will prove that you are the new beneficiary of my funds. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hope to hear from you soonest I have to rest now till i hear from you soonest.
    
I will give you all the Documents with the contact of the bank to transfer the money to any account that you want for the work, but can i trust you my dear?

1) YOUR FULL NAME: ___________________________
2) YOUR ADDRESS:_______________________________
3) YOUR TEL NUMBER:________________________
4) YOUR FAX NUMBER: __________________________
5) The Name of the Closest Airport to your City of
Residence:_____________________
6) YOUR Age:_________________________
 
Get back only if you are interested please. Reply to ( windyb65@yahoo.com )

Thanks as i Wait for your mail.

Mrs. Windy Brown

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