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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" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ruphinabruce@gmx.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2018 11:22:47 -0800
Subject: HELLO MY 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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