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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: masawi_4@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:32:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AWAITING YOUR URGENT REPLY.


¡Tengo nueva dirección de correo!Ahora puedes escribirme a:masawi000@yahoo.com.ve



- DEAR FRIEND, I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW YOU WILL FEEL RECEIVING A SUDDEN BUSINESS LETTER FROM A REMOTE COUNTRY IN FAR AWAY GHANA WEST AFRICA AND PROBABLY FROM SOMEONE YOU HAVE NOT CLOSELY RELATED WITH. BUT ALL THE SAME, I BELIEVE WE DO NOT NEED TO BE OF BLOOD RELATIVES BEFORE WE CAN ESTABLISH CORDIAL/BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP. HAVING SAID THIS, I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AT THIS JUNCTURE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU. I AM MASAWI KOKU THE SON OF LATE CHIEF JOHNSON KOKU MY MOTHER IS MRS. SANDRA KOKU FROM SUDAN, MY LATE FATHER WAS A DIAMOND AND GOLD MERCHANT IN OUR COUNTRY SUDAN. BEFORE HIS DEATH HE DISCLOSED A FUNDS WORTH $25 MILLION IN A TRUNK STEAL BOX THAT HE DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY WHICH HE WANT TO USE FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE, THE TRUNK BOX IS PRESENTLY IN USA. BEFORE MY LATE FATHER GIVE UP HE TOLD ME THAT AM THE NEXT OF KIN, HE ALSO TOLD ME TO LOOK FOR A TRUSTWORTHY BENEFICIARY WHO WILL ASSIST ME INVEST THE FUNDS IN A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS HENCE MY PROPOSAL TO YOU. UPON YOUR RESPONSE I SHALL FURNISH YOU WITH MORE DETAILS AND PLEASE, SEND US YOUR CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER AND FAX ON YOUR REPLY THROUGH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS (masawi_4@yahoo.com) BEST REGARDS, MASAWI KOKU.


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