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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mariam Camara" <mcama111@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mcama888@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Fri, 5 May 2006 09:12:16 +0200
Subject: Urgent Response

Dear good friend

Greetings to you.Please pardon me for contacting you without any formal appointment or communication. I am an asylum seeker in Porto-Novo Benin.

I will like to seek your assistance in receiving and investing the sum of US$4.8M held in a holding finance firm in Benin Republic.The money was deposited by my late father who was killed by the rebels during the uprising in my country Abidjan-Cote d' Ivoire. He was until his sudden death a diamond /cocoa dealer in Angola and Cote d'Ivoire which is where he made his wealth. My aged mother and I managed to escape to Benin Republic with the assistance of Red Cross officials. We have confirmed the validity of this deposit then I decided to contact you for assistance in relocating the fund to your country for further business investment.

I got your contact through the Internet data base while searching for someone to assist. More details will be given to you as soon as i hear from you.Please include some of your personal details for us to establish a good business and family relationship.

I look forward to hearing from you

Honestly yours

Mariam Camara


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