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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: frances yapi <francesyapih@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 03:25:15 -0800 (PST)
Subject: sos


Dear friend,
I am glad to write this mail to you although you dont know me .I strongly solicit your strictest confidence. I got your contact during my desperate search on the internet for assistance. And thank you for sparing your time to go through my mail. My name is miss Frances Yapi, of Ivory Coast in West Africa. My nuclear family got massacred during the onset of the ongoing political unrest, and I am an orphan girl. I am desperate for your assistance to help me relocate to your country for settlement as my life is not safe in this place. My dad have secured a huge sum of money ($6.2million USD)in a security company here in Accra Ghana, before his death and i have in my possession the necessary documents to retrieve the funds from the security company. I seek an honest person who will not take advantage of me as many have tried to do ,to help me retrieve the funds from the security company and get it transferred ,assist get me the necessary travelling visas to get out of Africa
immediately. I am presently in Ghana where i have ran to, for my safety. You will be adequately rewarded for your assistances. On the receipt of your mail indicating your willingness and capabilities to execute this deal, then I will forward the necessary details of myself ,family and how you can contact the security company.
Thanks for your anticipated cooperation ,and dont fail to ask any question you may like.
Reply with this email addresses francesulu@excite.com
Regards,
Miss Frances Yapi.

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