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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. CHRISTINA JOHNSON" <mariamkenzo221@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:22:16 +0000
Subject: ALMIGHTY GOD Bless You My Dear,

ALMIGHTY GOD Bless You My Dear,

My name Mrs. Christina Williams Johnson From France, I Am a 59 years Old
Woman. I Was Married to Late Mr. Williams Johnson Who is My Husband, and a
Former France Ambassador in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire WEST AFRICA, He was
Poison to die by one of his political friends.

My late husband and I were married for years without a child of our own and
after his death I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my
matrimonial home. As i speak to you, I have been diagnosed with congested
heart failure, of which the doctors have confirmed and told me that I would
not live long. After my husband passed away, I realized he deposited a huge
sum of money with one of the Bank in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire West Africa.

The money that was deposited in the Bank was a total of (5.500.000.00 USD)
Five million Five Hundred Thousand USD. As I write to you, I feel
that the money in the Bank would be a waste if I die and that is why I have
come to a conclusion of donating the money out to the less privilege and
also the motherless babies home.

My husband's brother is an addicted smoker and drinker who spend his money
on expensive drinks and unnecessary things and so I do not wish for him to
have any of the money which my husband worked so hard for all his life.
After going through your profile over the internet I decided to contact you
for friendship and assistance for distribution of my inheritance. Please,
my dear friend I have come to you to help me carry out this last wish of
mine on earth because I am too weak to move about and also have been
confined to a wheel chair in my home due to the state of my health and so I
can't travel all the way from here.

It is true that I don't know you, but I have been directed by God to do
this. If you wish to help me, write back to me at your earliest convenience
so that I would direct you on how to contact the Bank for the transfer of
the funds to you in whichever way you may wish to nominate for this
purpose. Please send me your name, address, occupation, age, sex, marital
status and contact telephone numbers to enable me forward it to the Bank
for the release of the fund to your custody. I will give you the bank
contact information for I may not be able to carry out, I am weak less
privilege to write or talk.

I await your urgent reply.

Thanks for your kindness and God Bless you,
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Christina Williams Johnson

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