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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 Virginia." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mcc1625@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2021 23:07:15 -0800
Subject: RE: YOUR NEXT OF KIN.

Beloved Greetings!


How Are You Doing? Click Reply to this Message


I Am Mrs Virginia Goyanes From USA, A Widow To Late Robert Goyanes, I Decided To Maintain My Maiden Names After My Husband Died. I Am 90 Years Old And I Am Suffering From Long Time Cancer Of The White Blood Cell/bone Marrow (Leukemia) And From All Indication My Conditions Is Really Deteriorating And It Is Quite Obvious That I Would Not Live More Than Few More Months, To Say 2 Months But By Grace Maybe More.


According To My Doctors, This Is Because The Cancer Stage Has Gotten To A Very Bad. My Late Husband Died Last Five Years, and During The Period Of Our Marriage We Couldn't Produce Any Child. My Late Husband Was Very Wealthy And After His Death, I Inherited All His Business And Wealth And Since He Had No One Else In The World But Me, In Fact, We Both Had Only Us In This World. The Doctors Had Advised Me That I May Not Live For More Than 2 Months, So I Have Decided To Divide The Part Of This Wealth, To Contribute To The Development Of Churches, Schools, Orphanage Homes And To Helping The Less Privileged Low Life People In America, Asia, and Europe.


It May Come As A Surprise How I Got Your Email And Started Sharing My Stories With You As A Total Stranger. Yes! I Have Less Than A Year From All Approximation To Stay In This World So I Had Email List Sent To Me And I Had To Write You After So Meditations. I Am Willing To Donate The Sum Of $225,000.000.00 USD (Two Hundred and Twenty Five Million United States Dollars) To Carry Out The Projects I Mentioned Above.


Please I Want You To Note That The Fund Is Lying In A Security Company, Insured And Immediately I Receive A Reply From You, I Shall Furnish You With More Details And Procedures On How To Get This Started And Done And Also In Addition, I Will Forward You All The Information You Will Need To Getting The Fund Released From The Security Company And To Be Transferred To Your Account.


I Honestly Pray That This Money When Transferred To Your Account Will Be Used For The Said Purpose As It Is The Wish Of A Dying Woman And Should Be Honored.


I Wait Patiently To Reading Your Reply.


Thanks And Remain Blessed.


Yours Sincerely,
Mrs Virginia.

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