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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: Sharifa Joshua <deboraamaka601@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sharifajoshua01@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:26:31 +0000
Subject: Donation from mrs sharifa joshua

My dearest in the Lord,

Golgotha greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am
Mrs Sharifa Joshua from Kuwait. I was married to Mr. Bashir Joshua,
who had worked with the Kuwaiti Embassy in the Ivory Coast for nine
years before he died last year. We were married for eleven years
without a child. My husband died after a brief illness that lasted
only four days. Before his death, we both became born-again
Christians.

My dear man, I know you are surprised to receive this letter, but as a
child of the Living God you should know that our ways are not his
ways. My Bible tells me that he works in many ways and all things work
for good for those who believed in Christ Jesus. Indeed, I also choose
you through the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God in obedience and
love to fulfil the wish of my late husband, whom I supported for the
glory of God. I want you to understand that this benevolence fulfils
the wish and decision of my late husband, which I have been persuaded
to carry out.

Since the death of my beloved husband, I have decided not to remarry
or have a child outside my married home, which the Bible opposes.
While my late husband was still alive, he deposited the sum of three
million five hundred thousand US dollars ($3,500,000.00 USD) in a bank
here in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire. This money is currently still in the
bank.

Recently, my doctor told me that I would not last nine months because
of my cancer problem. The thing that bothers me most is my stroke.
After knowing my condition, I decided to donate this fund to a
charity, a church, a Christian organisation or a true believer who
will use this money
the way I will teach here

I want this fund to be used for orphanages, schools, churches, widows
and the less privileged to spread the Word of God and to ensure that
the house of God is maintained. The Bible has made us understand that
"Blessed is the hand that gives". I have made this decision because I
do not have a child to inherit this money, and my husband's relatives
are unbelievers, and I do not want my husband's efforts to be used by
unbelievers.

I do not want a situation where this money is used in an ungodly way.
That is why I am making this decision. I am not afraid to die, so I
know where I am going. I know that I will be in the bosom of the Lord.
Exodus 14 VS 14 says that "the Lord will fight my case and I will keep
my peace". I do not need to communicate by telephone in this regard,
as my state of health and the relatives of my late husband around me
are always trying to claim this money that my husband left me. I do
not want them to know about this development. With God all things are
possible.

I would like you to take this into your own hands, as my health does
not allow me to do so, as I have been regularly subjected to medical
dialysis. Even I am writing this letter with the help of a nurse who
helps me. I would like you to send me your full name and address so
that I can swear on an affidavit that officially and legally
recognises you as a member of this fund, so that your entitlement to
this fund will continue even if I am dead. I will send you the
declaration on oath and the certificate of deposit of this fund
immediately after completion of the declaration on oath.

As soon as I have received your reply, I will give you the contact of
the bank in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire where this money was deposited by my
beloved husband. I will also issue the affidavit of oath which legally
and officially approves you as next of kin and new beneficiaries of
the Fund, together with the certificate of deposit of this Fund with
which my late husband paid the money in the bank. I want you to pray
for me always, because the Lord is my shepherd.

My happiness is that I have lived a life of a worthy Christian.
Whoever wants to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and in truth.

I would like you to send me the following articles to process the affidavit:

(1) Your full name ....
(2) Your address ....
(3) Your nationality ....
(4) Your age / gender ......
(5) Your profession .......
(6) Your marital status .....
(7) Your direct telephone number .....

I need this information very urgently. Any delay in your reply will
give me room to find another person for the same purpose.

I hope for your urgent reply.
Stay blessed in the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs Sharifa Joshua.

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