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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: theresa gross <anicetteray4536@gmail.com>
Reply-To: theresagross453@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2021 03:38:33 +0100
Subject: From Mrs. Theresa Gross

Hello My Beloved One.

I greet you with the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, It is true that this
letter may come to you as a surprise. Nevertheless, I humbly ask you to
give me your attention and hear me well. My name is Mrs. Theresa Gross from
United States of America. I am married to Mr. Anthony Gross who once worked
with our Embassy in Germany in the year 2002 and he also worked in an
embassy in London for a period of 16 years before he died.

We were married for 25 years without a child before he died after a brief
illness. Since his death I decided not to remarry due to my religious
belief. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of
USD$10.500.000.00 (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United State American
dollars) with a Bank here in Belgium. Presently this money is still in the
custody of the Bank. Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for
the next Four months due to my cancer illness.

Having known my condition, I decided to donate this money to churches,
organisation or good person that will utilise this money the way I am going
to instruct herein.

I want you to use this money for churches, Charity organisation,
orphanages, widows and other people that are in need. l took this decision
because I don't have any child that will inherit this money. Moreover, my
husband's relatives are not close to me since I develop a Cancer problem
and it had been their wish to see me dead in order to inherit his wealth
since we have no Child. These people are not worthy of this inheritance.
This is why I am taking this decision to contact you and donate this fund
to you in order for you to use it for the charity works.

As soon as I receive your reply I will give you the contact of the Bank
here in Belgium where this money is deposited. I will also issue a letter
of authorisation to the bank that will prove to you the present beneficiary
of this money. I also want you to always put me in your prayers.

Any delay in your reply may give me room to look for another good person
for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I
stated above.

Thanks and Remain blessed.

Yours sister in the Lord,

Mrs. Theresa Gross.

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