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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: "Margaret Bennett" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <margaret654@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2018 21:52:53 +0100
Subject: Re: Blessed is he who cares for the poor;

Blessed is he who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.
 
Hello Dear, how are you today , hope you are good, with grateful heart and grace of
God, you are blessed.I know that this will come to you as a surprise but i am
contacting you from the direction of God. I am Mrs Margaret Bennett, from Dublin,
Scotland, i have been a missionary for 23 years before i fell sick and was transferred
back to my country, i was diagnose of cancer and with that i could not be able to
continue with my missionary work and coupled with my age. i was married to late
Mr Johnson Bennett who died in a car crash. He worked as a construction contractor.
My aim of contacting you is that while i was in my missionary work, my late husband
deposited some amount of money in a bank, before he died, he wished that the money
be used to help the poor, the less privilege, care for the orphans and also support the
work of God but since i could not be able to continue with this due to my sickness,
i desire to entrust the fund to you so you can complete the wish of my husband and
i and i want you to promise me that you will use this fund as i have wished.
 
Please i want you to contact me back so we can discuss and proceed on how to
transfer this fund to you as i await for the call of God because i know that even if i die
today that my heart will not tremble because i know i have achieved a lot for God and
humanity and the good Lord will accept me.
 
Thanks and Christ be with you. Amen
 
Margaret Bennett

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