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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: Douglas Rowden <rowdendouglas5@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2021 19:54:05 -0700
Subject: GREETINGS

GREETINGS


Firstly, I got your email address from a mail Directory and decided to mail
you for a permission to go ahead.

I am Mrs. Joan Gates United Kingdom, married to Dr. James R. Gates who
worked with Texaco Oil Company in London, before he died in a ghastly motor
accident on his way to a Board meeting. My Husband and I were married
without any children,and I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 69
Years old. When my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of $10.5M.
(Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) with a Bank. Presently
this money is still with the Bank and the management just wrote me as the
beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather Issue a letter
of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf. I am presently in
a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment Cancer of the lungs and
inability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months
to live so I think the best thing to do is to use the money for charity
purposes. I want a person who is trustworthy that I will make the
beneficiary of my late Husband's Fund deposited with the bank so that the
person can get the money and utilize 70% of this money to fund churches,
orphanages and widows around the world and keep the remaining 30% for his
effort.

At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls due to the fact that my
relatives (They had squandered the funds I gave them for this purpose
before now and are around me I have been helping orphans
orphanage/motherless homes. I have also donated some money for humanitarian
needs in Sudan, South Africa, Brazil, Spain, Austria, Germany and some
Asian countries. I have been touched to the good work of humanity through
you, rather than allow my relatives to use my husband's hard earned funds
inappropriately. I know i have never met you but my mind tells me to do
this, and I hope you act sincerely.

I want you to send me the following information, if you are interested so
as to enable me know that you are the right beneficiary. As soon as I
receive your information, I shall give you the contact details of the bank,
authorization letter as an authenticity of my integrity.

Your Full Name,

Your Contact Address,

Your Phone Number,

Your Age,

Your Occupation and

Any of your identifications.

PLEASE SEND YOUR REPLY TO ( mrsjuangates@gmail.com )

Respectfully Yours,
Mrs Joan Gates

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