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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: mark williams <mark_ws1976@yahoo.fr>
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 22:06:00 +0100 (CET)
Subject: FROM MARK WILLIAMS


FROM MARK WILLIAMS.
FELIX AVENUE, RUE 12,
ABIDJAN. IVORY COAST

DEAR
PERMIT ME TO INFORM YOU OF MY DESIRE OF GOING INTO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. I BELIEVEYOU ARE A REPUTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE TRUST WORTHY PERSON I CAN DO BUSINESS WITH AND BY MATTER OF TRUST I MUST NOT HESITATE TO CONFIDE IN YOU FOR THIS SIMPLE AND SINCERE BUSINESS.

I AM MASTER MARK WILLIAMS, THE SON OF LATE MR GEORGE 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 A BUSINESS DEAL.

BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 24TH NOVEMBER 2002 IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN. HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$15,500,000 (FIFTHEEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT IN A LOCAL BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN, THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS FIRST CHILD AS THE NEXT OF KIN DURING THE TIME OF DEPOSITING OF THE FUND.

HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES,
AND 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).

I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1) TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERED
2) TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND.
3) TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR
COUNTRY TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION AND TO SECURE A RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR ME IN YOUR COUNTRY.

MOREOVER, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 15% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT /INPUT AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEA.
FURTHERMORE, YOU CAN INDICATE YOUR OPTION TOWARDS ASSISTING ME AS I BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSACTION WOULD BE CONCLUDED WITHIN SEVEN (7) DAYS YOUR SIGNIFY INTEREST TO ASSIST ME.
ANTICIPATING TO HEARING FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU.
BEST REGARDS.
MASTER MARK WILLIAMS.

PLEASE YOU CAN ALSO SEND YOUR REPLY TO MY YAHOO E-MAIL ADDRESS/mark_ws01@hotmail.com.


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