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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 MERCY SANTOS <mrsmercysantos12@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2022 08:37:50 -0700
Subject: May almighty God bless you always

My love, I need your help.

Please bear with me. I write you this letter with tears and pain from my
heart.

I am Mrs Mercy Santos from the USA but I live in the UK, I am a widow and a
cancer

patient. Yes? that my mail may come to you as a surprise because you don't
know me, but

due to the unsolicited nature of my situation here? in the Hospital, I
decided? contact

you for help. I have been through pain and moments of sadness since the
death of my

Husband during the Covid_19 pandemic.

My husband of blessed memory deposit? the sum of USD$25.5 Million Dollars
(Twenty Five

Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) in a Bank, us? my name as family.
The bank has

commissioned me to introduce an interested foreign investor/partner who can
act as my

trustee and receive the fund in his account for possible investment and
also to help the

less privileged.

I am looking for an honest and trustworthy person to help me and present
himself as my

trustee to present to the Bank for the transfer of the fund to his bank
account abroad. I

have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I believe that you will not
betray my

trust but will take me as your own sister.

I want your urgent response so that we can initiate the legal procedure and
release the

funds in your favor and as the new beneficiary of the funds, I do not want
the bank to

keep the funds when I die, this is the reason why I I communicate. You
don't have to worry

because this is a risk-free and mutually beneficial transaction.

I'm sorry about my photos. What to include? in my next mail and more about
me when I hear

from you.

May almighty God bless you always

Yours sincerely

Mrs. Mercy Santos

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