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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. Helen George" <admin@phatdat.net>
Reply-To: madamhelges1@yeah.net
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2015 17:35:41 +0200
Subject: CAN YOU HELP ME OUT?


GOOD DAY. URGENT - HELP ME DISTRIBUTE MY $12 MILLION TO HUMANITARIAN. THIS=
MAIL MIGHT COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AND THE TEMPTATION TO IGNORE IT AS UN=
SERIOUS COULD COME INTO YOUR MIND BUT PLEASE CONSIDER IT A DIVINE WISH AND =
ACCEPT IT WITH A DEEP SENSE OF HUMILITY. I AM MRS HELEN GEORGE AND I AM A 6=
1 YEARS OLD WOMAN. I AM A SOUTH AFRICAN MARRIED TO A SIERRA LEONIA. I WAS T=
HE PRESIDENT/CEO OF OIL COMPANY INTERNATIONAL-AN OIL SERVICING COMPANY IN J=
OHANNESBURG. I WAS ALSO MARRIED WITH NO CHILD. MY HUSBAND DIED 3YEARS AGO. =
BEFORE THIS HAPPENED MY BUSINESS AND CONCERN FOR MAKING MONEY WAS ALL I WAS=
LIVING FOR AND I NEVER REALLY CARED ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE. BUT SINCE THE LOSS=
OF MY HUSBAND AND ALSO BECAUSE I HAD HAVE NO CHILD TO CALL MY OWN, I HAVE =
FOUND A NEW DESIRE TO ASSIST THE HELPLESS, I HAVE BEEN HELPING ORPHANS IN O=
RPHANAGES/MOTHERLESS OMES/HUMANITARIANS. I HAVE DONATED SOME MONEY TO ORPHA=
NS IN SUDAN,ETHIOPIA, CAMEROON, SPAIN, AUSTRIA, GERMANY AND SOME ASIAN COUN=
TRIES. IN SUMMARY:- I HAVE 12,000,000.00 (TWELVE MILLION) U. S. DOLLARS WHI=
CH I DEPOSITED IN A SECURITY COMPANY IN COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC AS A FAMILY =
TREASURE & ARTEFACTS, PLEASE I WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT THE SECURITY COMPANY D=
OES NOT KNOW THE REAL CONTENT TO BE MONEY AND I WANT YOU TO ASSIST ME IN CL=
AIMING THE CONSIGNMENT & DISTRIBUTING THE MONEY TO CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS, I=
AGREE TO REWARD YOU WITH PART OF THE MONEY FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, KINDNESS A=
ND PARTICIPATION IN THIS GODLY PROJECT. BEFORE I BECAME ILL, I KEPT $12 MIL=
LION IN A LONG-TERM DEPOSIT IN A SECURITY COMPANY WHICH I DECLARED AS A FAM=
ILY TREASURE ARTIFIARTS.I AM IN THE HOSPITAL WHERE I HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING T=
REATMENT FOR OESOPHAGEAL CANCER AND MY DOCTORS HAVE TOLD ME THAT I HAVE ONL=
Y A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE. IT IS MY LAST WISH TO SEE THIS MONEY DISTRIBUTED TO=
CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS. BECAUSE MY RELATIVES AND FRIENDS HAVE PLUNDERED SO =
MUCH OF MY WEALTH SINCE MY ILLNESS, I CANNOT LIVE WITH THE AGONY OF ENTRUST=
ING THIS HUGE RESPONSIBILITY TO ANY OF THEM. PLEASE, I BEG YOU IN THE NAME =
OF GOD TO HELP ME COLLECT THE $12 MILLION WHICH I DEPOSIT WITH THE NAME OF =
MY LATE HUSBAND AS THE NEXT OF KIN BECAUSE NOW DUE TO MY HEALTH THE SECURIT=
Y COMPANY IS DEMANDING FOR A NEXT OF KIN IN OTHER TO GET THE MONEY TRANSFER=
RED IN OTHER TO SEE THAT MY LAST WISH IS ACCOMPLISHED WHICH IS SHARING THE =
MONEY AMONG CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS.YOU ARE AT LIBERTY TO USE YOUR DISCRETION=
TO DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY AND FEEL FREE AS WELL TO REIMBURSE YOURSELF WHEN Y=
OU HAVE THE MONEY FOR ANY EXPENSES IN DISTRIBUTING THE MONEY TO CHARITY ORG=
ANIZATIONS. I AM WILLING TO REWARD YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND KINDNESS. KI=
NDLY EXPEDITE ACTION AND CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL AT mrshelges@yeah.net FOR MOR=
E DETAILS. MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? BEST REGARDS. MRS H=
ELEN GEORGE PLZ REPLLY TO MY PRIVATE EMAILBOX: mrshelges@yeah.net

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