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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 Ruphina Bruce" <ruphinabruce@minister.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2017 09:11:36 -0400
Subject: HELLO DEAR

Dear Sir/Ma,

My name is Mrs. Ruphina Bruce, I am 81 years old widow and I live in
Malta (Central Europe), I am the Mother of late Mr. James Bruce my
only son who was a minister of Aviation in my country Malta. My son
James and his wife died 6 years ago in a ship-wreck on the coast of
London, leaving behind their only 8 years old daughter whose name is
Melina. Melina is my only grandchild and the only heir of my late son
Mr. James Bruce.

My son James was not a billionaire but the little he left for his only
daughter Melina before he passed on if it is well managed by a good
business man or woman in the foreign land; I think my granddaughter’s
future will be secured. This is why I am writing you because I want to
secure my daughter’s future before my time.

Sir/Ma, my utmost reason of writing you is because I need your urgent
assistance, I want to send my granddaughter (Melina) to you so that
she can live with you in your country, this is a very hard decision
for me but my condition has forced me to do this which i must do
urgently because the doctor said i have little time to live due to the
Cancerous illness i am currently battling with, my granddaughter
(Melina) is very young but rich and lonely, i am the only family she's
got, but now i am very old and weak and if anything happens to me she
does not know what to do or where to go, this is why i am asking you
if you can adopt her and take care of her like your own child.

please do not worry about the cost of securing Melina’s traveling
document and her welfare because Melina is Rich, Melina’s father had
deposited the sum of $21 million usd in Universal bank London for
Melina and instructed me to handle the online login to the account to
Melina when she turns 18, But since i do not have much time to live i
will give you the online bank account login details to handle the
funds for Melina. With the online account login you will be able to
transfer fund from the account to any other bank account of your
choice,

Please I want you to use part of this money for Melina up bring and
her education, then invest the other part in a good business and most
importantly. I want you to take good care of Melina, give her all the
support and love she needs.

Sir/Ma, I am writing you because I am very old now, I can’t walk or
even see clearly, what you are reading now was writing by my house
help “Jonny” with my instruction, so please don’t get me wrong because
I can’t even see the letters on the computer keyboard. I do not speak
English, I speak Maltese so everything here is translated

As soon as I hear a positive response from you, I will release the
online bank account details to you to enable you withdraw the required
fund to arrange for my daughters trip to meet you in your country. .

Thanks

My greetings to you and your family
Mrs. Ruphina Bruce.

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