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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: "MRS.JUDITH SMITH" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <judithsmithrx@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2015 03:56:12 -0700
Subject: HELLO MY BELOVED IN THE LORD.

 
 
HELLO MY BELOVED IN THE LORD.
 
I AM MRS.JUDITH SMITH FROM REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, BORN IN THE STATE OF
OHIO USA. I AM LEGALLY MARRIED TO MR.HILARY SMITH, A SOUTH AFRICA
CITIZEN BORN BROUGHT UP IN SWITZERLAND, I LIVE IN SWITZERLAND WITH MY
HUSBAND FOR 32 YEARS BEFORE WE MOVE DOWN TO SOUTH AFRICA IN 1985 AFTER
MY HUSBAND RETIREMENT IN 1984, I AM 71 YEARS OLD BY THE GRACE OF GOD,I
AM A NEW CHRISTIAN CONVERT,SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THE
BREAST.
 
 
ALL INDICATION FROM MY DOCTOR THAT MY CONDITIONS IS REALLY
DETERIORATING AND IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT I WOULD NOT LIVE MORE THAN
TWO MONTHS, ACCORDING TO MY DOCTORS AND IN ALL INDICATION REGARDS TO
MEDICAL ANALYSIS.THIS IS BECAUSE THE CANCER DISEASE HAS GOTTEN TO A
VERY BAD STAGE THAT NO HOPE FOR ME TO BE A LIVING PERSON AGAIN.MY DEAR
HUSBAND WAS INVOLVED WITH THE JANUARY 2000 KENYA AIRWAYS PLANE CRASHED
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEWS LINE WEB SITE.
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6627485.stm )
 
40 YEARS PERIOD OF MARRIAGE LIFE, STILL WE COULD NOT PRODUCE ANY
CHILD, MY LATE HUSBAND WAS VERY WEALTHY AND AFTER HIS DEATH,I
INHERITED SOME PART OF HIS BUSINESS AND MONEY IN THE BANK.THE DOCTORS
HAS ADVISED ME THAT I MAY NOT LIVE FOR MORE THAN ONE MONTHS AND 2
WEEKS AND WARN ME TO DECEASE FROM THINKING OVER WHO IS GOING TO
INHERIT ME,TODAY I HAVE DECIDED TO DONATE CONTRIBUTE TO THE LESS
PRIVILEGES,CHARITY AND  ORPHANAGE HOMES.I MADE THIS DECISION AFTER
LISTING TO THE NEWS LINE ABOUT 100 YEARS OLD WOMAN WHO SECRETLY DONATE
HER FORTUNE UPON HER DEATH,
 
I CHOOSE YOU AFTER VIEWING YOUR PROFILE AND I HAVE CONFIDENT IN YOU
BECAUSE I HAVE PRAYED. I AM WILLING TO DONATE THE SUM OF $20.5MILLION
U.S DOLLARS, TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED.PLEASE I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT
THIS FUND IS STILL IN THE BANK WHERE MY HUSBAND DEPOSITED IT.I AM
GOING TO ADVICE MY LAWYER TO CHANGE MY LAST WILL TO YOUR NAME AND FILE
IN AN APPLICATION FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY IN YOUR NAME. LASTLY,
I HONESTLY PRAY THAT THIS MONEY WHEN TRANSFERRED WILL BE USED FOR THE
SAID PURPOSE EVEN THOUGH I AM LATE THEN OR ALIVE,BECAUSE I HAVE COME
TO FIND OUT THAT WEALTH ACQUISITION WITHOUT GOD IS VANITY ACCORDING TO
THE WISEST KING IN ISRAEL KING SOLOMON,AND I MADE THE PROMISE TO GOD
THAT THE FUND WILL BE USE TO HELP THE NEEDY AND THE LESS
PRIVILEGE,Reply me through this email:judithsmithrx@yahoo.co.uk
 
MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF GOD BE
WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY,PLEASE FURTHER DISCUSSION CONTACT ME WITH MY
EMAIL ADDRESS:
 
I AWAIT URGENT REPLY:judithsmithrx@yahoo.co.uk
 
REMAINS BLESSED
MRS.JUDITH SMITH

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