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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: sylvie.kouame303@yahoo.com.sg
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 17:35:43 +0800 (CST)
Subject: DEAR ONE


DEAR ONE
I know this mail will come as a surprise to you.However is not mandatory nor will i in any manner compel you to honor against your wish.
Am Madam Sylvie Kouame am suffering from turberclosises and liver problem, I am writing from the hospital in Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) this mail is very urgent.

I was told by the doctor that the sickness has got my liver
damaged and can only live for two months. I inherited some money ($8.400 Million usdollars ) from my late Husband which I do not want the fund to go in vain since I can not survive from the illness.

I want you to contact my house girl, Miss Sofia Keitta, her Email is(sofia.keitta90@yahoo.com) Please contact Miss Sofia Keitta with any valid driving license or id card or your photo and your telephone numbers to assure her that you shall never cheat or betray her when you have access to this funds.

All the original documents will be change from my name to your name to enable the SECURITY COMPANY deliver the inherited box to you in your country.

These are the favours I need from you when you have gotten this fund:

(1) Use 50% of this fund for charities and orphanage.

(2) Use 50% for any investment of your choice and to support Miss Sofia life and send her to the best university in your country when she come to meet you in your country.
This should be a code between you and Miss Sofia Keitta in this transaction "Hospital" any mail message without this code "Hospital" is not from Sofia Keitta or me as I don't know what will happen to me in the next few hours.
Please don't betray the trust I have manifest in you.

I don't want you to expose this transaction to anybody around you there or here until you and Miss Sofia finished every matter with the security company and have the inherited box to your care.

May God bless you and guide you to make good use of the fund.

Please pray for my soul to rest in peace.
Madam Sylvie Kouame
I thank you Holy God

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