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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: "MRS MARY COKER" <marycoker02@123mail.cl> (may be fake)
Reply-To: marycoker@zipmail.com.br
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 18:25:33 +0100
Subject: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE

FROM THE DESK OF:
MRS MARY COKER
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.
HEADQUARTERS
COTONOU
REPUBLIC BENIN.

I am MRS Mary Coker, credit officer of African
Development Bank. I have an urgent and very
confidential business proposition for you.

In June, 1999, a German property consultant and importer of used cars ,Mr Andreas Schranner made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar
months, valued at US$35,000,000.00(Thirty five Million United States Dollars only) in my branch. It was to our utter suprise that we heard of his death, wife and children in an AF4590 plane crash in July 2000. See website below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm


On further investigation,I found out that he died
without making a WILL, and hitherto, all attempts to
trace his next of kin was fruitless. Mr Andreas Schranner was residing at No 1 Rue de Avenida, G.R.A.
Cotonou, Benin Republic.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered
that Mr Andreas Schranner did not declare any kin or
relations in all his official documents, including his
Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$35,000,000.00 is still sitting in my
Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the
principal sum at the end of each year. No one will
ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of
Benin, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money
will be declared frozen and forfeited to the
Benin Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a
foreigner to stand in as the next of kin or business
partner to Mr Andreas Schranner so that
the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into
the hands of some corrupt government officials. This
is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your
full names and address,phone and fax numbers so that
the attorney will prepare the necessary
documents and affidavits that will put you in place as
the next of kin or business partner. I have two of my colleagues who are top officials of the bank involved in this transaction. Your role in the transaction is to send an application for claim of the funds to our bank. Then, as top officials of the bank, we shall work behind-the-scene to make sure that your application is approved by the management of the bank, and the funds transfered to your nominated bank account.

Please note that there is no iota of risks at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done legitimately and with our positions as top officials of the bank would ensure a successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately to my email box.

Please send me your confidential telephone and fax
numbers for easy communication.

You should observe utmost CONFIDENTIALITY AND SECRECY in this transaction, and rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I will require your assistance to invest my share in your country.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Thanks and regards.


Mrs Mary Coker
Direct Line: 00229 07 14 19
Alternative email address: <marycoker@zipmail.com.br>






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