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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: Grace Williams <grace_williams0013@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <gracewilliams_2007@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 19:30:32 +0000
Subject: Grace Williams / Urgent.


Dear Respected One,

I felt good to write you for a suggestion request
which I really want your maximum help and
encouragement for an investment in your country.

Actually, I am Miss Grace Williams 19years+ old and
the only dauther of my late parents Mr and Mrs Leonard
Williams. My father was a highly reputable business
professional in -(a Cocoa and Gold merchant) who
operated in the capital of Ivory Coast and overseas
during his days.

It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously
after his arrival from France after one of his
business trips abroad year on 12th December 2006.
Though his sudden death was linked and was suspected
to have been masterminded by an uncle of his who
travelled with him at that time.

My mother died when I was just 4 years old as my late
father, and since then my father took me so special.
Before his death on December 12th 2006 he called me
behind his bed and told me that him and his foreign
partner who is now dead has the sum of Seventeen
million United States Dollars. (USD$17,000,000) that
was estimated and mapped out for Estate Building
projects left in a Metallic Box with one of the
Safekeeping Company here in Cote d'Ivoire -Ivory
Coast.

He further told me that he deposited the money and
declared it as a Consignment containing exporting
African Artcraft for decourations and never as money
the (Safety Company is not aware of the real content)
he made it on his late partner's name (as Company).

Now, i went lastly to the Safekeeping Company to make
claim of the Box (fund), they director officer
incharge told me that I should provide the Certificate
of Deposit and the Contractual Agreement that was
given by their Company, after providing all, he
confirmed the consignment and told me that the
Consignment was deposited on foreign partner's behalf
as Company/partnership. He asked me of the foreign
partner.

Before then, My late father told me to involve a
trusted foreign partner who can help me retrive and
invest this fund in his/her country, due to my late
Father's relatives, they may kill me as they killed my
father, i am pleading for you to help me stand as my
foriegn partner and my benefactor since no specific
name was mentioned, to enable the Safekeeping Company
release this Box (money) to you, so that i will come
over to settle with you and continue my education
while you put the rest of the fund in a good
profitable business investiment.

I am just 19+years old and a university undergraduate
and really don't know what to do. This is because I
have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of
incessant political crisis here in this country and
also the sudden death of my father that brought
sorrows to my life.

I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in
this regards. Your suggestions and ideas will be
highly regarded.

Now permit me to know; Can you be able to arrive here
so that I will take you to the Safekeeping Company Or
will you instruct the Safekeeping Company to get the
Consignment delivered to you in your Country?

Again, What could be your percentage of the total sum
immediately you retrived the Box.

Please, if you receive this mail, kindly let me know
you suggestion me as soon as possible.

Thank you so much.

Yours faithful,
Miss Grace Williams

_________________________________________________________________
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