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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: Gezeria <Gezeria@e-mail.pl>
Reply-To: gezeriabell@onet.pl
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2017 22:46:34 -0500
Subject: RE: I NEED YOUR FAITHFULNESS PLEASE


My Dear Friend, Greeting to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Let m=
e first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail Directory a=
nd decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mrs.Gezeria Bell =
from United Kingdom, married to Dr. Calvin L. Bell who worked with Texaco O=
il Company in Nigeria before he died in a ghastly motor accident on his way=
to a Board meeting. My Husband and I were married but without any child. S=
ince his death I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 69 Years old. W=
hen my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of $16.5M. (Sixteen Mill=
ion Five Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) with a Bank. Please, If you are not=
interested to help me get this done, please ignore this mail and go about =
your normal business. Presently this money is still with the Bank and the m=
anagement just Wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the m=
oney or rather Issue a letter of authority to somebody to receive it on my =
behalf. I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment=
Cancer of the lungs. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors h=
ave told me that I have only a few months to live so I think the best thing=
to do is to use the money for charity purposes. I want a person who is tru=
stworthy that I will make the beneficiary of my late Husband's Fund deposit=
ed with the bank so that the person can get the money and utilize 70% of th=
is money to fund churches, orphanages and widows around the world. I have b=
een touched to the good work of humanity through you, rather than allow my =
relatives to use my husband's hard earned funds inappropriately. I know i h=
ave never met you but my mind tells me to do this, and I hope you act since=
rely. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact details =
of the Bank. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove yo=
u as the new beneficiary of this fund. Please assure me that you will act a=
ccordingly as I stated here in and Keep this contact confidential till such=
a time this funds get to your Custody. This is to ensure that nothing jeop=
ardizes my last wish on Earth. May the good lord bless you -Amen, I await y=
our urgent reply. Regards, Mrs. Gezeria Bell.

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