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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: Diane Isabel Cottrell <mcmillianb08@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dianecottrell4u@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2021 02:24:15 +0800
Subject: Message

--
May the God almighty be with you

My name is Diane Cottrell, am from
Australia, I'm a physical therapist but i dedicated and sacrifice my work
for the seek of humanity to help the poor, orphans and less privileges
around the globe .I believe that God almighty will reward our generosity ,I
have lived a life of affluence but I'm yet to find true happiness because I
was not able to achieve these things that I loved most, I'm married to
Donald Griffin British citizen who is an international realtor and also a
business investment analyst but he died in a plane crash, we've been
married for 28 years without a child. Am sick and dying , I'm suffering
from a severe esophageal cancer and it has spread throughout my body and my
doctor said that I will not be able to survive the illness looking at the
extent of damage it has done to my body system ,my illness was not
discovered on time because of carelessness or rather how it was meant to
be, l have only two month to live, I contacted you because I believe you
will do it for me, and my heart accepted you . Before my husband died he
sold all his foreign properties and investments and deposited the sum of
$2,300,000.00 US Dollars in a Turkish bank and l inherited this money from
my late husband because am his next of kin, I want to make you my next of
kin and you will inherit this money and fulfill my last generous wish
before I die because my health condition is deteriorating.

I want you to donate 40% of the fund to any
charity organization of your choice and you can use 60% of the fund to help
yourself and invest in any profitable business that can bring good income
to you, If you will honor my last wish then my soul will be at peace when I
finally depart from this world, i will write to my Attorney for him to be
aware of my intentions to make you my next of Kin only if you will accept
this offer with a kind heart. My Attorney is ready to swear an Affidavit
and Change of Ownership Certificate to make you the legitimate beneficiary
to the fund $2,300,000.00 USD . I need to confirm your willingness,
readiness and commitment, because the bank where this money was deposited
promised me that the money will be transferred to anyone chosen by me to be
the new legitimate beneficiary .

All I need is for you to assure and promise
me that you will use this money according to my wish if this money is
transfer to you , feel free to go into this with me and any long term delay
to reply me will make me to look for another individual for the same
purpose , I'm hoping to receive your reply so that i can go ahead and tell
you what to do and how to receive the fund, your response will be highly
appreciated .

Thank you and God bless .

*Diane Isabel Cottrell*

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