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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: SALINA MICHAEL <hope_is_a_great_thing@yahoo.co.jp>
Reply-To: SALINA MICHAEL <salina.michael@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2015 17:53:21 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dearly Beloved

Dearly Beloved,

My name is Mrs. Salina Michael, i was married to Dr. David Michael, who worked with National Iranian South oil company (NISOC) for twenty three years before he died in the year 2008, we were married for thirty-seven years without a child. He died after a brief illness.

Before his death we were both devoted Christians. Since his death I decided not to re-marry. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum USD$8,000,000.00 (Eight Million U.S. Dollars) with a Security firm in London. Presently, this money is still with the Security firm and the management just wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf if I can not come.

Presently, I’m with my laptop in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment for cancer of the lungs. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only less than (2) two months to live. It is my last wish to see that this money is invested wisely and at the end of every year funds are distributed among charity organization. I want a reliable and honest person that will use this money to reach to the motherless and also less privileges, to reach to the Katrina Hurricane, the sick that has no body to take care of them, the poor and widows and to set up a Cancer research.

If you are willing and honest enough to do my wishes, as soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the firm where the fund was deposited for you to contact them for the release of the fund to you. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the new beneficiary of this fund. You are to help me invest this fund into real estate and stocks. You will be entitled to 20% of every profit you make in a year. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated therein.

As soon as i receive your positive response i shall give you more detail.

Have a good night as i wait to hear from you.

Remain Bless,
Salina.

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