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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: "MR KOFI WILLIAMS" <kofi_williams75@latinmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: kofi_williams75@yahoo.co.in
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2006 04:43:07 +0000
Subject: REGARDS

GOOD DAY
MAY I CLAVE YOUR INDULGENCE TO SOLICIT FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION
IN A MUTUAL BENEFICIAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY WHICH INVOLVES
SAFEGUARDING FUNDS RUNNING INTO MILLIONS OF UNITED STATES
DOLLARS.

ALTHOUGH ,I AM SKEPTICAL TO DISCUSS THE BUSINESS ON THE INTERNET
OWING TO LOTS OF UNSOLICITED/SPAM MAILS ON THE INTERNET THESE DAYS AS I WOULD,NT WANT MY HONOURABLE NAME TO BE DRAGGED TO MESS AS MISTAKEN INTENTION,BUT I WOULD BE GLADTO PROVIDE MORE ELABORATE DETAILS IF YOU PROVIDE ME WITH YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX INCLUDING YOUR PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN EMAIL OR CALL YOU FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION BUT MUST FIRST ALL ASSURE ME THAT THE WHOLE TRANSACTION MUST BE KEPT HIGHLY SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL DUE TO MY POSITION IN MY OFFICE.

IN A BRIEF INTRODUCTION MY NAME ARE MR.KOFI WILLIAMS OF ACCRA,REPUBLIC OF GHANA WORKING AS HEAD IN FUND DISBURSEMENT IN A KNOWN INSTITUTION IN WEST AFRICA REGION.

I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONCE.SEND YOUR RESPONSE ONLY TO MY
PRIVATE EMAIL :kofi_williams75@yahoo.co.in

TRULY YOURS,
MR.KOFI WILLIAMS.


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