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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: "H.G" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jenniferamina_ss@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:33:56 -0500
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP !

My e-mail: jenniferamina_s@yahoo.com
 
I am sorry to disturb you, but the truth is that I need your help in situation now.
 
My name is Jennifer amina, am from syria. There is a serious war here in Syria, and it is so sad that one afternoon I came back home, and see my fathers house destroyed by bomb by the rebels, and my family were inside the house when this happened, I lost my two brothers  and my father and mother.  Since all my family members has  died in war, I see no reason to live and enjoy my life again.  My father, mother and two brothers died the same day.
 
We are having a serious war here in Syria. A Peaceful protests started in 2011 were met by the reigning Assad regime with violence and mass arrests. Popular uprisings soon became a full-scale civil war, resulting in killing of innocent people, casualties and the displacement of millions. I truly need your help because I discovered that my father deposited some money in a bank in London and used me as the next of kin, and I have been looking for a way to receive the fund from the bank in London. Because of my current situation, I contacted you to help me and sponsor me to receive GBP.2.000.000.00  Two million great British pounds sterling , which my father deposited with a bank in London United kingdom, and the bank has sent me an E-mail yesterday that I should come and claim the money because I am the only surviving person in my family.
 
My father deposited some money in a bank in London and used me as the next of kin, and I have been looking for a way to receive the fund from the bank in London. Because of my current situation, I contacted you to help me and sponsor me to receive GBP. 2.000.000.00  Two million great British pounds sterling , which my father deposited with a bank in London United kingdom, and the bank has sent me an E-mail yesterday that I should come and claim the money because I am the only surviving person in my family. I agree that you should take 40% percent of the fund, then you give 10% percent to the charity, and you keep 50% for me so that I can use it to start a new life when I come to your country.
 
Please help me and receive this money, and I will come to your country and live to start a new life. I am  homeless now, and i manage to get access to internet, no phones network. I am in pains, please I need your urgent help.
 
You should contact me with my E-mail at: jenniferamina_s@yahoo.com for more details.
 
>From Jennifer in Syria.

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