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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: Mercy Wilson <ourmerceywilsons@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: ourmerceywilson@yahoo.fr
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2007 13:48:51 +0100 (CET)
Subject: FROM MRS.MERCY WILSON.


MRS.MERCY WILSON,
ST. EDDE, EGLISE
RUE 11, AVE 27 VRIDI
ABIDJAN COTE D’IVOIRE
WEST AFRICA.

MY NAME IS MRS MERCY WILSON, I WAS MARIED TO ONE DR.WILLIAM WILSON OF ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE WEST AFRICA. WE WERE BOTH MARRIED FOR EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT A CHILD.MY HUSBAND DIED AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS THAT LASTED FOR ONLY NINE DAYS. WHEN MY LATE HUSBAND WAS STILL ALIVE HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF (TWENTY TWO MILLION FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S.D).IN A SECURITY COMAPNY HERE IN ABIDJAN COTE D'IVOIRE. AT THE POINT OF HIS DEATH HE TOLD ME OF THIS MONEY AND INSTRUCTED ME TO LOOK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER WHO WILL HELP ME TRANSFER IT OUT OF MY COUNTRY.

HE TOLD ME THAT I AM THE ONLY BENEFICIARY AS HE BELIEVES THAT HIS FAMILY WAS BEHIND HIS ILLNESS. PRESENTLY, THIS MONEY IS STILL IN THE SECURITY COMPANY. ACCORDING TO MY LATE HUSBAND THIS MONEY WAS DEPOSITED AND REGISTERED AS FAMILY VALUABLES (CONSIGNMENT) FOR SECURITY REASONS. I WANT YOU TO HELP ME RETRIEVE THIS BOX FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY AND TRANSFER IT TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE. I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE TOTAL SUM AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TRANSACTION. I WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU URGENTLY.

SINCERELY,
MRS.MERCY WILSON.



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Yahoo! Mail : Stockage illimité et Messenger intégré. Changez aujourd'hui de mail !

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Yahoo! Mail : Stockage illimité et Messenger intégré. Changez aujourd'hui de mail !

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