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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: hellen4harry@live.com
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:19:46 +0100
Subject: I WANT TO INVEST IN YOUR COUNTRY.


Hi dear
Thanks for accepting to read my mail
My name is Miss Hellen,i am 23 years old,5.6ft tall,dark in
complexion,loving,caring, open minded,and easy going person just to mention
but a little. I hope honesty and trust they say build a strong
relationship,no matter the distance that keeps us apart it still gives me
the confident to write you this mail. I go through your profile today and it
was very lovely .


I will really appreciate it if we can click together as one great family
Please accept my apology if my mode of contacting you will in any way offend
you. I am compelled to contact you via this medium for obvious reasons which
you will understand when we discuss details of my proposition, please with
due respect and heart full of pains i am writing this mail, since we have
not known each other or meet ourselves previously. I am Miss Hellen Harry
the only surviving daughter of late Dr Harry who was the financial
benefactor and ally throughout the civil war,under the leadership of
president Charles Taylor who is now in awaiting trial at international
tribunal.


After seeing your picture,i decide to contact you,because i have been
looking for a person like you to be my partner,expecting you to be open
minded,loving,caring and truthful person, Please I really like you to help
and assist me out of my situation, Now i am in a refugee camp where i am
presently seeking asylum under the United Nations High Commission for the
Refugee here in Dakar, Republic of Senegal,

with my fathers file which contains all the important documents
including a reasonnable sum of money 6.7million USD deposited in my name as
the next of kin which the deposit certificates are with me here,when i went
for the money inorder to change my life i never knew my late father gave the
condition that unless i am married or 30 years of age before they will
release the money to me with the reason of escaping out of my step mothers
hand,in her attempt to kill me as she hide away my international passport
and other valuable traveling documents. Please all communications should be
through my private email address only for confidential purposes, As soon as
I receive your positive response showing your interest I will put things
into action immediately.

In the light of the above, i shall appreciate an urgent message
indicating your ability and willingness to handle this transaction
sincerely, awaiting your urgent and positive response, Please do keep this
only to your self i beg you not to disclose it till i come over to be with
you,attached here is my picture,and i want you to send your pictures, also
your phone number and your full address to me, so that i can know the person
i am trusting my life with. For urgent purposes if u want to communicate
with me through our Reverend Father so i can talk with you direct line
+447024087784)OK.

I await to receive your positive respond soonest
Yours Sincerely, Hellen

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