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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: "Miss Mary Komana" <mary_2004_015@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: mary_komana52@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 18:51:00 +0000
Subject: From Mary Komana

Hello dear,
I know that this mail might be a surpriseing to you but do consider it as an emergency. In a nut shell, My name is Miss Mary Komana 21 years old from the republic of Sierria-Leone in west Africa, now seeking for refugee in Dakar -Senegal under the(UNHCR).
The only child of late Dr.Solomon komana. I am looking for someone who can take me as child I promise to be obidient to you and I will bring happiness to your life, I prayed over it and selected your name amoung two names due to it's esteeming nature and the recommendations given to me, as a reputable and trustworthy person.I can do business with,and by their recommendations I must not hesitate to confide in you for this simple and sincere business.I want you to assist me in this transaction. My late father was the managing director of Rainbow Gold and Diamond Mine company in (KENEMA)Sierra-Leone.But he was poisoned to death alongside with my mother by his business associate, On one of their outing to discuss a business deal in oversea,
However, after their death I managed to to stay along and when the war broke out in my country. I escape to refugee camp in senegal with every important files of my father.He has the sum of (US$15.2M)Fiften million two hundred thousand U.S Dollars only. This amount was deposited by my late father in one of the leading financial house outside Sierria-Leone. The deposit documents indicate me as the next of kin. Presently, I am saddled with the problem of securing a trust worthy foriegn personality to help me. I will map out 15% for you.

(1) you will Stand on my behalf as the beneficiary for the claim of the inheritance from the financial house since the management of the financial house adviced that I should solicit for an individual or corporate organization to claim the deposit for me as they cannot release it directly to me due to my refugee status in Senegal.

(2) Transfer the money over to your own country and into your possession pending my arrival to meet with you.

(3)Invest and manage the money for me in a good business pending my maturity.

(4) Help me secure my travelling documents to meet you as soon as my money is released to you.

Furthermore,you can contact the financial house for confirmation and I will issue a letter of authorisation on your name,that will enable the financial house correspond with you on my behalf.I am giving you this offers as mentioned with every confidence on your acceptance to assist me or adopt me as your Child if possible and manage the money for me.

Conclusively I wish you send me a reply immediately you recieve this proposal. Until then,I remain with the best .
Regards
Mary Komana



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