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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: engr.gragrice@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2020 14:16:44 +0000
Subject: Seasonal Greetings to you.

Untitled form

To fill it in, visit:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchIgitUMcWL_sJG9nuFdHxVhINhE7A8Lcp7F4QRbIc0gomPw/viewform?vc
My Dear

Thank you for responding back to me, I am Mrs. Abigail Johnson, a
terminally ill cancer patient suffering from grade 4 ovarian and breast
cancer. I was married to Mr. Paul Johnson worked with the American embassy
in Benin Republic for 15 years before his death, which occurred on April
2nd, 2013. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of
$4,500,000.00, with a bank in Benin Republic.

Currently, this sum is still with the bank in Benin Republic in my name as
the next to claim. Meanwhile, I am in the UK undergoing chemotherapy and
radiation treatment in the hospital, and my doctors told me recently that I
have limited days to live as the cancers continue to spread from where they
started to other parts of my body.

In view of this, I have decided to donate the funds to the less privileged,
orphans and charity organizations to put smiles on the orphanage, disabled
and the less privileged. Therefore, I need your honest and sincere
cooperation to receive this sum and donate to any non-profit charity
organizations and Motherless babies homes of your choice. I will issue an
official letter of authorization to the financial institution requesting
them to release the sum to you as my successor.

I took this decision because I do not have any relatives or children to
receive this sum when I pass away, and my late husband's only sister
died in 2011, which is the reason I took this bold decision. Please I do
not need any telephone communication as it's against the hospital
guideline for terminally ill cancer patients, because it increases my pain
and affects my breath.

Always pray for my health.

Remain Blessed,

Mrs. Abigail Johnson.

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