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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: eve garuba <eve_garuba15@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2007 03:11:35 +0000
Subject: please help me



From:Eve Garuba Accra GhanaGreetings, I am Eve Garuba,and the only surviving child of late Mr Steven Garuba who traded in gold and diamond before his assassination during the Sierra Leone civil war, my Father , mother, and two brothers were assassinated and burnt beyond recognition by rebels after looting cash, diamonds and gold from my family but somehow spared my life. Before contacting you,i have seek the advice of few people around me in the refugee camp without leting them know my plan.I was told that even if i send this email to you,you will not beleive because of too much scam and other ways of deceiving people.Please understand that this email is not to let you give me money or your bank details but for you to help me in what i feel belongs to me.Please dont be confused or have doubt about me and dont see me as bad person because I am not. I am contacting you in respect of the sum of $8,500.000.00 deposited by my late father in a security company before he died.The money is part of money he realized from the sales of diamonds and gold by him.I got your contact from the Ghana chambers of commerce business executives directory and having been convinced that you are capable of handling a transaction of this magnitude,I decided to entrust you with this great task. My father did told me about this deposit with this security company in Ghana before he died, and when we came to Ghana after his death we found the security company and I confirmed that the box containing $8.5M was still in their safe custody. Due to my refugee statusam not qualified to claim the deposit hence I have solicited for your help. Note that my late father deposited the money with the security company as family treasures for safe keeping so the security company is unaware that the actual content is cash . What I require of you to do for me now is your agreeing that I assign you as the new beneficiary ( With utmost HONESTY assuring me that you will not betray me when the box is handed over to you in your country.) by issuing you a power of attorney and making a change of ownership which will authorize you to contact the security company and inform them of your desire to retrieve the deposited consignment to be shipped to you in your country. I agree to give you 40% of the $8,500,000.00. Please treat this matter from utmost confidentiality. Best Regards, Eve Garuba



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