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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- lmellisa29@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mellisa Lewis <mrsruthsolomon@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <hm75901@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2015 10:16:01 +0000
Subject: =?iso-8859-15?Q?My_Donatio?= =?iso-8859-15?Q?n_=A44=2C000=2C0?=
=?iso-8859-15?Q?00=2C?=

My Dear With
warm hearts I offer my friendship, and my greetings to you in the name
of our lord God, and I hope this letter meets you in good time, I
propose with my free mind and as a person of integrity from God, I know
that this message will appear as a surprise to you that we barely know
but the grace of God directed me to you and I wish you read this message
and be blessed in name of the Lord.I
have a brain tumor, I suffer terribly at the moment. My doctor just
informed me that my days are numbered because of my health therefore
condemned to certain death. Currently, I have exhausted all my savings
for my medical care. But I do have some funds for my charity project,
these funds are deposited in a fixed deposit in a local bank here in
Benin. purposed for charitable foundation My marital status is such that
I'm single because I lost my Husband for over 9 years now and
unfortunately we have not had a child together, which I am no one to
leave my legacy . Therefore, to release my funds I would like to make a
donation so that there is no stiff tax on my money.To
this I would so graceful and in order to help the poor to give what
amounts to said legacy worth Four million euros (¤4,000,000.00) (Four
Million Euro) to enable you to establish a charitable foundation in my
memory so that the grace of God be with me until my last home so I can
receive an honorable place with the Lord our father. I have no fear
because before contacted you, i have for several nights prayed for the
Lord God to give me the contact of a trusted person to whom I can
entrust this matter and it is the result of why I am doing research that
allowed me to contact you through this site.Know
that you can keep half of the money for yourself and the rest will be
used to create a charitable foundation in my memory and a federation in
the fight against cancer and also build orphanages. I would have the
following information: Your name and first name, your exact address and
your permanent telephone contact so I can forward them to my lawyer to
appear that you perform the procedure under deal. I count on your
goodwill and especially on the proper use of these funds have something I
do not doubt because I have great confidence in you that God may guide
me toward you. My private E-mail: lmellisa29@yahoo.comAwaiting your prompt reply, receive my cordial and fraternal greetings.Yours SincerelyMrs Mellisa LewisMy Private email:lmellisa29@yahoo.com

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What can you do when you receive 419 spam