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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: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Rev=2E_Fr=2E_Leo_L=F3pez?= <bakfoffieafrica@outlook.com>
Date: Sat, 14 May 2016 09:45:14 +0000
Subject:


Dearest in Christ,

Please take your time to read this message; although we have never met before, this is no spam. It's a real message sent to you. I know also that you will be amazed at the level of trust that I am willing to place in a person that I have never seen nor spoken with. My name is Rev. Fr. Leo López; I have been a catholic priest for over 27 years. I had a heart surgery on the 23-11-2014 and the Doctors have just informed me that I cannot live longer; I had a serious bleeding after the operation.

I have decided to give to you all the money which was deposited in my bank account by a dying elderly woman in my congregation the total sum of $5,972,000.00 (Five million Nine Hundred and seventy Two Thousand US DOLLARS).I want you to use this amount to make the world a better place for the poor and less privileged, help the needy and also help your family members.I took this decision because I was raised in an Orphanage so I don't have relatives and presently, I'm hospitalized in Cabinet Medical le Sacre Coeur, Accra Ghana, where I am undergoing treatment. That's why I have decided to contact you so that you can make good use of the money which I WILL to you.


God bless you,
Rev. Fr. Leo López
My Private Email: Parish.leoofce@outlook.com
Written from Hospital in Accra


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