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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "Davis and mary" <davismary@tsamail.co.za> (may be fake)
Reply-To: davismaryjohnson@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 12:35:28 +0000
Subject: CAN WE TRUST YOU

Mary and Davis Johnson.
United Nations Asylum Camp.
(Cote D' Ivoire)Abidjan.
West Africa.
davismaryjohnson@yahoo.com

Hello Dear ,
It is my pleasure to write you regardless of the fact that we do not
know
each other in person:
I am Mary Johnson, the Daugther of late Mr.and Mrs.Edward Johnson. I
contacted you to solicit your assistance towards claiming and
transfering a huge sum of money deposited in a bank here in Ivory Coast by my
late father to your account for onward investment and education on behalf
of me and my little Brother. My father was a very wealthy Cocoa/Mineral
Resources Merchant in Freetown the Economic Capital of the Sierra-Loen,
my father was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of
their outings on a business trip.My mother died when we were small and
since then my father took me so special.
Before the death of my father on November,2002 in a private hospital
here in Abidjan. He secretly called me to his bedside and told me that
he has the sum of US$15 Million United States Dollars (15 Million
Dollars) left in a deposit/suspense account in one of the prime banks.
He said that he used my Davis name as his only son for the next of kin on
the day of deposit. He also explained to me that it was because of this
wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates.
As a matter of fact, we went to the bank for our claims, the bank
manager told us to look for a liable foreign partner in a country of our
choice where the money can be transfered for our investment ambitions.
I am honourably seeking your assistance in the following ways :
1. to provide a bank account into which this money would be transferred
2. to serve as a guardian of this fund since I am too young to handle
this project.
3. to make arrangement for me and my only Brother ( age: 15 ) to come
over to your country to further our education and to secure Residence
permit in your country.
Moreover, I am willing to offer you 10% of the total sum as
compensation for your effort after the successful transfer of this fund
into your nominated account overseas. Further more, you indicate your
option towards assisting me as I believe that this transaction could be
concluded within seven banking (7)working days.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks and God bless you,
mary and davis johnson.


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