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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: Sophia Erick <sdltdkggl3455@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2023 00:13:12 +0100
Subject: HELLO

With tears in my eyes and grief in my heart, I am writing this email
to you, my name is Mrs.Sophia Erick, I am from Tunisia, I am
contacting you in a hospital in
Burkina Faso, I want to tell you this because I have no choice but to
tell you, because I am moved to open my heart to you, I am married to
Sayouba Mr. Sofiane, who in 2011 He worked with the Tunisian
ambassador to Burkina Faso for nine years before his death in 2009. We
have been married for eleven years and have no children.
He died after a brief illness that lasted only five days. Since his
death I decided not to remarry, my late husband was alive he deposited
the sum of ($11,000,000.00, Eleven Million Dollars) in a bank in
Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, West Africa. The money is
still in the bank. He used the money to export gold from the mining
industry in Burkina Faso.Recently, my doctor told me that I couldn't
last seven months because of cancer and a stroke. What bothered me the
most was my stroke.Knowing my situation, I have decided to hand over
this money to you to take care of the vulnerable and you will use it
in the manner I will instruct here. I want you to take out 30% of the
total amount for your personal use.And 70% of the money you will use
to build an orphanage in my name to help the poor on the street. I
grew up as an orphan without anyone as my family, just to maintain
God's family.I do this so that God will forgive my sins and accept my
soul in heaven, because this disease has caused me a lot.As soon as I
hear back from you I will give you the contact details of the Bank of
Burkina Faso and I will also instruct the bank manager to send you a
power of attorney certifying that you are the current beneficiary of
the money in the bank if you said Yes please assure me that you will
act in the manner I declare here.

Sincerely, Mrs. Sophia Erick.

Anti-fraud resources: