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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: Marian Aminat <marian.amina@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: marian.aminat1@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:48:37 -0600
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE FROM MARIAN AMINAT

My Dear Lovely One.

Happy New Year in advance, addition of long life, subtraction of
sorrow goes to you in perfect health. I am Princess Marian Aminat, am
from Somalia, yes this may be strange to you, but I do not want you to
be worried about. I got your contact through a reliable source, and
I decided to contact you for an important issue. This is my reason of
contacting you, I and my younger once have prepared to leave Africa
and study abroad, we need a trustee or like an investor who have the
fear of God. During the civil war in my country Somalia, the rebels
killed my parent, we came to Accra Ghana by the United Nation cargo
ship, you may be wondering why am saying all this to you, really you
don't know me and I do not know you as well. Our life is in danger
here, the people that kill my parent are still after us, even my late
father brother is among them, and he?s looking for me badly because of
my late father document that is with me. My late father use to deal
on gold and diamond stone, before he was killed he deposited some
boxes with one security company here in Ghana. Now I and my sister
have made up our mind to travel out of Africa, we need a trustee who
can receive us as one of his family, we have no parent. I will wait
to hear from you, so that I can give you the information to the
company. You can reach me and my brother on how direct private email;
marian.amina1@gmail.com
Thanks

Marian Aminat


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