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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: MISS CAROLINE WILLIAMS <carolinewilliams@mail.ru>
Reply-To: carolinewilliams_033@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2006 03:49:25 +0000
Subject: FROM MISS CAROLINE WILLIAMS


REFUGEE CAMP,
12 RUE 4321 BP,
COCODY,ABIDJAN
COTE D'IVOIRE
HELLO DEAR,

I KNOW THAT MY MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SUPRISE SINCE I DONT
KNOW YOU IN PERSON OR MET WITH YOU BEFORE,BUT I AM OF THE BELIEVE
THAT YOU WOULD BE OBLIGED TO COME TO MY ASSISTANCE AFTER HEARING ABOUT MY SITUATION.
I AM MISS CAROLINE WILLIAMS, THE ONLY CHILD OF LATE MR AND MRS.HENRY WILLIAMS.MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJAN, THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS ON A BUSINESS.WHILE MY MOTHER DIED ON THE 21ST OCTOBER 1986, MY FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL BECAUSE I AM MOTHERLESS. BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 29TH DEC 2005 IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN.
HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$ 5,500,000 (FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND, UNITED
STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A SUSPENCE ACCOUNT IN ONE OF THE LEADING BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN, HE USED MY NAME AS HER ONLY DAUGTHER FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSIT OF THE FUND. HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS
ASSOCIATES. THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE, (SUCH AS REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT) .PLEASE DEAR, I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1)TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO
2)TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM A GIRL OF 21
YEARS
3)TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER THE MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED. MOREOVER,
PLEASE, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT/INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR NORMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEAS.FURTHER MORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR
OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN (7) DAYS YOU SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST ME.
ANTICAIPTING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON, THROUGH MY E-MAIL ADDRESS"carolinewilliams_022@yahoo.fr,TEL,00225-085-84306
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
YOURS SINCERELY
MISS CAROLINE WILLIAMS

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