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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: "Step Aubry" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <steaub@ovi.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:53:04 +0100
Subject: Hi Dear

Hi Dear,

Good day to you,I have decided to contact you after much thought considering the fact that we have not meet before now,but circumstance oblige, I am Miss Stéphanie Aubry French Nationality I used to be the European secret aide of former first lady Simone Gbagbo the wife of Ex-president of Cote D’Ivoire Mr Laurent GBAGBO who was arrested on the 04/11/2011.I have contacted you for you to help me claim so funds I concealed in a metallic trunk box deposited in a trusted company, The Amount being deposited is $13.5M united state dollars, as this was the money that was supposed to be used by the former first lady to acquire some properties in some Africa countries. We have to move very fast before the new government will settle Down and start investigation.

I wait earnestly your very kind and urgent response

God bless you
Yours
Stephanie

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