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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: alex.smith937@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:13:22 -400
Subject: PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP


Dear Friend,
I am Alex Smith I am 18yrs of age, from the Mecca District of Bomi County in
the Republic of Liberia. My father Hon. Williams Smith, the director of Smith
Timber Company and the one time special adviser to the Minister of Natural
Resources was murdered by an opposition Leader during the previous Crisis in my
country (Republic of Liberia).

Before the death of my father (Hon. Williams Smith) during the early stage of
the war of my country, he revealed a secret to my mother that he deposited
30.Million USD as a family treasure box with a security company in the Republic
of Ghana. He ask my mother and I to leave Liberia and come to the near by
Country Ghana, where we can find refuge and have peace for our dear lives.
Having a meeting with my late father's Ghanaian lawyer (Barrister Micheal Eke), he told my mother and I that all vital documents as regards to the
deposit and claim of this consignment in the security company was handed over to
him by my late father. We went to the security company for the claim of this
consignment but we could not make the claim due to my father's laid down
will for me to consult his foreign business partner before the release of the
consignment which my father did not disclose to us before his untimely death.

Now as the next of kin and the only surviving child who is presently with my
mother(Mrs. Rukevwe Smith) in the United Nations refugee camp (Buduburam) Ghana,
I seek for your humanitarian assistance to enable us claim this consignment in
your name as the foreign beneficiary and help us receive this family treasure
box (consignment) in your country while you invite me over to you for the
sharing and investment in a lucrative production or business in your country as
it is the laid down instruction by my late father for me to consult his foreign
partner who will guide me in the investment in his country due to Africa
political crisis and instability in the African economy. Mistrust is like an
axe on the tree of partnership but since only God could ordain trust, I will be
very grateful to Him to build up such a relationship with you in accordance to
his will.

I promise you with all sincerity and a heart full of thankfulness to God that I
shall give you all true love and respect and I would be grateful to God the
almighty if you will be kind, understanding and trustworthy enough to help get a
better life.

I promise to give you 20% of the total fund and 15% per-annum in the investment
as your benefit of assisting me a young refugee and a fatherless child attains a
better life.

God bless as I expect your reply and thanks in advance. My mother extends her
greetings

Sincerely,
Alex Smith.



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