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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: Helen Baines Johnson <mrs.helenbjohnson68@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrs.helen_b_johnson@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 03:52:21 +0200
Subject: Covid-19 DONATION TO HELP YOU

Dear God's Select,

My name is Helen Baines Johnson from France and I am very sorry for
the attachment, I am a 63 years old woman. I was married to late Mr.
Johnson who is my husband, and also one of the best contractors here
in France, he was also a seasoned contractor in Ivory Coast but He was
poisoned to death doing his business contract in Ivory Coast and we
were married for many years without a child, I know this contact may
comes as a surprise to you, I am writing this mail to you with heavy
tears In my eyes and great sorrow in my heart as I desired to find
someone from a far country for personal reasons, it's true we don't
know each other but decided to tell you this because I don't have any
other option as I was touched to contact you after I searched and
found your email on the internet directory.

My late husband and I were married for many years without a child of
our own and after his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child
outside my matrimonial home. As I speak to you, I have been diagnosed
with congested heart failure, of which the doctors have confirmed and
told me that I would not live long. After my husband past away, I
realized he deposited a huge sum of money with one of the Security
Company there in Ivory Coast.

The money that was deposited in the Security company was a total of
($1.900.000.00 USD) as I write to you, I feel that the money in the
Security company would be a waste if I die and that is why I have come
to a conclusion of donating the money out to the less privilege and
people affected by this Covid-19, including also the mother less
babies homes.

My family and friends have squandered allot of my late husband's
assets and money, I once asked members of my family to close my
personal account and distribute the money in it to the orphanages here
and in any country of their choice but they refused and kept the money
to themselves so hence I cannot trust them anymore I do not wish for
them to have more of the money which my husband worked so hard for all
his life, Please my dear friend I have come to you to help me carry
out this last wish of mine earth because I am too weak to move about
and also have been confined to a wheel chair in my home in France due
to the state of my health and so I can't travel all the way from here.

It is true that I don't know you, but I have been directed by God to
do this. If you wish to help me, write back to me at your earliest
convenience so that I would direct you on how to contact the Security
Company for the transfer of the funds to you in whichever way you may
wish to nominate for this purpose. I will give you my late husbands
lawyer contact information in Ivory Coast because my late husband went
with him to deposit the money to the security company there so he will
guide you on how to contact the security company, I am giving you his
information because I may not be able to carry this out myself because
I am weak less privileged talk or write much so I await your urgent
response.

Thanks for your kindness and God Bless you,

Yours Sincerely,
Helen Baines Johnson.

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