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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: "Sillves Dorathea Henrietha" (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 13:20:22 -0700
Subject: I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE PLEASE.

Dear Friend,
Greetings to you and your family in the name of God. In my search for a reliable and God fearing person and having gotten your contact through prayers and painstaking efforts I have decided to seek your help in carrying out my last wishes.
 
As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Mrs.Silves Dorothea Hanrietta; I am a merchant of ESTONIA but presently residing in London . I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer .It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.
 
I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I be very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this,as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world.
 
I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends.
 
I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul, so I have decided to give almost to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the Oman , Algeria, Malaysia, south Sudan, Libya etc.
 
Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money, which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan ; they refused and kept the money to themselves.
 
Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them.
 
The last of my money, which no one knows of, is the cash deposited with a financial Company, Four Million dollars US$11,000,000. Please all i want you to do is to help me collect this Money and dispatch it to charity organizations or you can also initiate a community/humanitarian services with it.
 
Please use this money for the judiciously for the less privileged. I have set aside 30% for you and for your time.
 
God be with you.. and if you know that you can help I will be very happy to
hear from you
Thank you
Silves Dorathea Henrietta

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