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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: "Anne Bates" <anbates@24polska.pl>
Reply-To: <annbates@fsmail.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:33:22 -0000
Subject: letter from hospital

Letter from hospital !!!
This is Anne from Trinidad &Tobago. I am writing from the hospital in Cote d’Ivoire, therefore this mail is very urgent.

I was told by the doctor that I was poisoned and has got my liver damaged and can only live for some months. I inherited some money ($16.500 Million) from my late father and I cannot think of anybody trying to kill me apart from my step mother in order to inherit the money, she is a citizen of Cote D’ivoire.

I want you to contact my house maid with these informations below:
Miss Barbara Aloko
Address: Rue De La Princess L/G 152 Cocody Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire.
Western coast Africa) Email / soloxinto04@yahoo.co.jp

She will give you the documents proofing the existence of the money. Please contact Barbara with any valid (driving license or id card) and your telephone numbers to assure her that you shall never cheat or betray when you have access to this fund.

I have instructed her to sell all my valuable items and use the money to change all the documents to your name to enable the bank transfer this money to you without any problem. I have appointed a lawyer which she knows that will assist you to change the documents of the money in your name as sole beneficiary to enable the bank transfer the money to you.

This is the favour I need when you have gotten the money:

(1) Give 15% of the money to my house maid Barbara Aloko as she has been there for me throughout my illness and I have promised to support her in life. I want you to take her along with you to your country to continue his education and establish her as your daughter because her parents are very poor.

(2) Give 25% of the money to Charity Organisations and Churches on my name so that my soul may rest in peace.

(3) Use 10% of the balance money to fly my body to bury in my home country based on the fact that i was poisoned by my step mother so i do not want my step mother to be the one to bury me.

(4) Request the lawyer's international passport. And Let Barbara sends you her photos and ID CARD as she has no passport to be sure of whom you are dealing with. Barbara is so little (age 17years) therefore guide her
Note:

This should be a code between you and Barbara Aloko in this transaction "Hospital" any mail message without this code "Hospital" is not from Barbara or me as I don't know what will happen to me in the next few hours. Please, make sure that you forward your national identity card or driving license to Barbara when contacting her to enable her give you all necessary information that you may need

Barbara will send you my personal documents when you reach for her. And if I don't hear from you within two days, I will look for another person. May God bless you and use you to accomplish my wish.
Pray for me always.
Anne Nanda Bates.
Thank you Holy Father.


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