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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. Clare Peterson" <paulalaezi@gmail.com>
Reply-To: clarepeterson61@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2021 20:16:34 -0700
Subject: HELLO DEAR

--
Dearest

I am Mrs. Clare Peterson, from Australia I am married to late Mr.
Georg Peterson, who worked with TOTAL OIL in Benin Republic for
Twenty-Six years before he dies in the year 2009,after a brief illness
that lasted for only five days.

We were married for Eighteen years with a daughter (Lillian)who later
died in a motor accident. Before the untimely death of my husband,
since after his death I decided not to remarry When my late husband
was alive, he deposited the sum of USD $1.5M (One Million, five
hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in a General Trust Account
with a prime bank in Cotonou Benin republic Presently, this money is
still with the bank.

Recently, following my ill health, my Doctor told me that I may not
last for the next eight months due to my cancer problem. The one that
disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I
decided to donate this fund to an individual or organization that will
utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein, according to
the desire of my late husband before his death.

I want this fund to be used in Activities like, Orphanages, widows,
and displaced children. I took this decision because I don't have any
child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are
unbelievers.

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my
health hence the presence of my husband's relatives around me always.
I don't want them to know about this development, as soon as I receive
your reply, I shall give you the contact of the bank in Cotonou. I
will also issue you the documents that will prove you the present
beneficiary of this fund.

Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing another for this
same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I
Stated here in. Hoping to receive your reply.

Thanks, and god bless you,

Mrs. Clare Peterson.

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