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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: "Ms. Kady Traore" <amazingrace1@mailbox.hu>
Reply-To: kd.traore@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 13:41:13 +0100
Subject: Hello.


El- Elyon Guest House
Akpakpa Cotonou
Benin Republic.


Hello,


Greetings,You will be surprise to receive this mail from a total Stranger
like me. Anyway, I got your contact through the Internet in my search for a
reliable and honest Person abroad who will assist me in this unbearable
situation of mine.


I am Kady Traore by name. I am 23 years old. The first child of the four
children of late Colonel Bakassa Traore who died after being tortured by the
security agents of the present government in my country, Cote d' Ivoire.


My father with two of his colleagues honored an invitation for a dinner by
the French ambassador and was invited by the security agents of president
Laurent Gbagbo. They were accused of divulging some vital information of
government of President Laurent Gbagbo to the traitors (France) they were
mercilessly humiliated and tortured and detained.


After their release, my father was rushed to the hospital and was kept under
the care of his private doctor. His doctor tried all he could to save his
life but he gave up the Ghost after spending four days in the hospital. You
can view this web site for more information:


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4649533.stm


My father, knowing very well that he would not survive, called all of us
while lying on his sick bed and he instructed us to leave the country for
Benin Republic where we are staying presently as our country is no longer
safe for us.


He brought out an envelope and gave to our mother and inside the envelope
was a written note of what to do when we get to Benin Republic. We left for
Benin Republic after his burial and the instruction from him was that he
deposited the sum of USD$12.5m (Twelve million five hundred thousand US
dollars) in a bank in Benin Republic which I am the next of kin to the fund.



We have already gone to the bank to make confirmation and the bank manager
advised that we should look for a trusted foreigner as the receiver of the
fund in a Bank account abroad because of the fact that the fund was
deposited in a domiciliary account of which I would only be accessible to it
when I am 25 years.


I am seeking your assistance in the following ways.
(1) To serve as our guardian and help us with investment of the funds for
our continued existence.
(2) To be our guardian for the furtherance of our studies either in your
country or elsewhere in the civilized World.


We are willing to offer you 25% of the total funds as compensation for your
efforts after the successful realization of the funds in your custody.


We are looking forward to hearing from you, as we will furnish you with all
the necessary documents and moral directives to facilitate the claim by you
without any breach of the law.


Be informed that we have the full co-operation of the bank manager as he has
advised for proper confidentiality since this involves such a huge amount of
money.


Your prompt response is highly expected.

Thanks,
Ms. Kady Traore.

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