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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: "Mariam Morgan" <mariam_morgan@latinmail.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2007 20:30:47 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: DEAREST ONE,


DEAREST ONE,

I AM MARIAM MORGAN, 23YEARS OLD AND THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF MY LATE PARENT=
S MR.AND MRS.MORGAN. MY FATHER WAS A HIGHLY REPUTABLE BUSNNESS MAGNET-(=
A COCOA MERCHANT)WHO OPERATED IN THE CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST DURING HIS =
DAYS.

IT IS SAD TO SAY THAT HE PASSED AWAY MYSTERIOUSLY IN FRANCE DURING ONE=
OF HIS BUSINESS TRIPS ABROAD YEAR 12TH.FEBUARY 2006.THOUGH HIS SUDDEN=
DEATH WAS LINKED OR RATHER SUSPECTED TO HAVE BEEN MASTERMINDED BY AN =
UNCLE OF HIS WHO TRAVELLED WITH HIM AT THAT TIME. BUT GOD KNOWS THE TR=
UTH!

MY MOTHER DIED WHEN I WAS JUST 14 YEARS OLD, AND SINCE THEN MY FATHER T=
OOK ME SO SPECIAL. BEFORE HIS DEATH ON FEBUARY 12 2006 HE TOLD ME THAT=
HE HAS THE SUM OF TEN MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS.(USD$10 000 000) L=
EFT IN A SECURITY COMPANY IN A METTALIC TRUNK BOX, BUT THE SECURITY COM=
PANY DIDN'T KNOW THE CONTENT BECAUSE IT WAS REGISTERED AS FAMILY VALUAB=
LES FOR SECURITY REASONS. HE ALSO HAND OVER THE DOCUMENTS TO ME.

I AM JUST 23YEARS OLD AND A UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE AND REALLY DON'T K=
NOW WHAT TO DO. NOW I WANT YOU TO ASSIST ME CLEAR THE CONSIGNMENT FROM =
THE CUSTODY OF THE SECURITY COMAPNY. THIS IS BECAUSE I HAVE SUFFERED A =
LOT OF SET BACKS AS A RESULT OF INCESSANT POLITICAL CRISIS HERE IN IVOR=
Y COAST. THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ACTUALLY BROUGHT SORROW TO MY LIFE.

I AM IN A SINCERE DESIRE OF YOUR HUMBLE ASSISTANCE IN THIS REGARDS. YOU=
R SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS WILL BE HIGHLY REGARDED. NOW PERMIT ME TO ASK T=
HESE FEW QUESTIONS:-=20
1. CAN YOU HONESTLY HELP ME ?=20
2. CAN I COMPLETELY TRUST YOU?=20
3. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN QUESTION WILL BE GOOD FOR YOU=
?=20
PLEASE,CONSIDER THIS AND GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS=20
POSSIBLE.=20
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MY SINCERE REGARDS,
MISS MARIAM.

PLS REPLY ME TO MY PRIVATE MAIL BOX AT MARIAMLONELY23@YAHOO.COM SO THAT=
I CAN GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEPOSIT WITH THE COMPANY. TH=
ANKS AGAIN WITH LOVE,




Argentina vota. =A1Sigue las presidenciales! http://www.starmedia.com/n=
oticias/especiales/eleccionesargentina.html

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