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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: Melissa Jackson <jkmelissa22@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <melissajackson@mailbox.hu>
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:06:34 +0000
Subject: From:Melissa Jackson



From:Melissa JacksonAddress:Abidjan-Ivory Coast(Cote d'Ivoire)Tel: +22504265503

Dear Sir, My name is Miss.Melissa Jackson, 18 years from Sierra Leone. My father and I escaped from our country at the heat of the civil war after loosing my mother and two of my senior brothers in the war. As a result of the political instability in my country even after the war, my father established his cocoa and coffee export business in Abidjan-Ivory Coast(Cote d'Ivoire). He was in Buake, a northern city to negotiate for the purchase of a cocoa plantation when he was shot and killed by the rebel troupes fighting to take over the government of the country on the 22nd September, 2002. The death of my father has now made me an orphan and thereby exposing me to danger. Before the unfortunate death, my late father had in his personal account with a bank here the sum of $10.5m(Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). As a result of the present insecurity of lives and property in this country, I wish request that you assist me use your account in your country to transfer the balance of my father's account.
Again to assist me with a letter of invitation that will make me get a visa to your country for residence inorder for me to continue my education and to invest the fund in a viable business venture. I am willing to give you 15% while 5% has been earmarked for any expenses. Please if this is acceptable to you, kindly get in touch with me urgently for more details on how to proceed.I am totally frustrated that my whole mind for now lies on my survival which is securing this money out from this place. Please am confiding completely in you and I really need your assistance at this point of my life as you alone knows of this venture.

I wait for your anticipated positive reply.

Your'sMiss.Melissa Jackson
_________________________________________________________________
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