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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: "fatima sombo" <fatimas778@gmail.com>
Reply-To: fatimasombo@latinmail.com
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 15:57:50 +0100
Subject: hello


*From:Ms Fatima Sombo

Dearest,

Do accept my sincere apology if my email comes to you as a surprise. I wish
to use this medium to express my condition to you but first I will like to
introduce myself. Am Ms Fatima Sombo the first Daughter of Dr .John Benjamin
Dauda,the former finance minister of Sierra Leone, I am 24 years of age. An
undergraduate in geology and mining, University of Sierra Leone Kono ,(USK).

Unfortunately, my father has been accused and arrested by the Sierra Leone
government for acclaimed illegal possession of ammunition in his residence
where all his traveling documents and other important documents have been
seized by the present government. Because the government saw him as the only
opposition to the autocratic and dictatorial day-to-day emasculation of our
poor citizens in our country. Contrary to the case, which they claimed he
committed, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, which he later died in the
prison.

During my father's tenure as a finance minister in Sierra Leone , he
secretly deposited Eight million dollars cash (US$8,000,000.00) and two
metric trunk box contenting diamonds/Gold dust. In a security company in
Accra Ghana . I was made the only beneficiary. I have in my possession all
the pertinent documents to this deposit.

Presently am taking refuge in Ghana to avoid being killed by my late father
enemies. Who has also frozen and confiscated all my father hard earned
properties. I hoped on this money for survival, and to further my education.

I would be glad if you can assist me as my father's foreign technical
partner and receive this treasury and also help me to invest the funds while
I continue my education under your guidance.

Waiting for your urgent response.

Thanks

Ms Fatima Sombo

fatimasombo@latinmail.com
*

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