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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: Ms Sarah Davis <fbi.gov.mit@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sarahministry2022@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2022 19:35:41 -0800
Subject: RE: CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE

Hello

My name is Mrs. Sarah Davies, I am a dying woman who had decided to
donate what I have for Charities.I am 69 years old and was diagnosed
with cancer about four years ago, immediately after the death of my
husband.Your work of Charity in one of the homes I visit reposed my
total confidence in you that I can trust you for this work.

I have been touched to donate part of what I have inherited from my
late husband for the good work rather than allow his wicked relatives
to lavish my husband's hard earned fund when I am gone.

When I was in better health, I never really cared for anybody with no
children of my own and a late husband. I was a selfish and greedy
person. But I had an encounter which changed my belief about life.

I have decided to donate the sum of $10.8M to you, so you can disburse
to charities, widows, orphans and the less privileged.

I was doing this myself when I was healthy but now my health has
deteriorated. I wanted my relatives to do this for me but they only
saw it as an opportunity to enrich themselves.As I lay on my sick bed,
I want you to help me in carrying out my last wish on earth which I
trust will be very profitable to you and humanity.

I will be going in for an operation soon, I want this last wish of
mine to be an offering to humanity, perhaps Father will have mercy on
me. Please contact me soon so I can instruct you what to do before I
undergo my next operation. I plead your utmost sincerity and honesty
in handling this task as an honest Christian. Thank you.

Stay blessed,
Ms. Sarah Davies.

Anti-fraud resources: