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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: "SOLOMON KOFFI" <drsolomonkoffi020@ig.com.br>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:37:15 +0100
Subject: DEAR,INQUIRIES UPDATE ME URGENTLY


Dear Friend,

Top of the day to you. Let me crave your indulgence to introduce myself to
you, I am Dr.Solomon Koffi staff of one of the leading Banks here in
Cotonou Benin Republic. I will want to solicit for your assistance to help
receive an inheritance sum due for claim to one of our late customers, Mr.
Thomas Eugene Green, He died in automobile accident with members of his
family.

I happen to be the Resident internal controller in the branch where he
deposited the total sum of $9.7Million USD on the 6th of June 2005, It was
discovered from his personal attorney that he did not state in his WILL any
next of kin to claim this funds, we have sent routine notification to his
forwarding address and discovered that he does not have anyone to claim this
funds.

It is very unwise to allow this man's fruit of labour to go into the wrong
hands because no one has come forward to claim the funds.

Thus my proposal to you is to stand as his next of kin to claim the funds,
His personal attorney has worked things out and I am willing to furnish you
with neccessary information the bank here will demand from you during the
process of this transaction.
Please if you are willing to assist, I will want you to furnish me with your
particulars, so as to enable me give you further details. Please, you have
to be an honest and trusted person. Please contact me on my alternative
email on dr.solomokoffi@yahoo.fr for more

information with the below informations filled out.
NAME: .............................
MAILING ADDRESS:...................
AGE: ..............................
STATUS:............................
STATE/COUNTRY:.....................
TEL/FAX NUMBERS:...................
CELL PHONE:........................
COMPANY NAME: .....................
OCCUPATION: .......................
I look forward to working with you.
Regards,
Dr.Solomon Koffi

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