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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: patricia_okirika@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:20:09 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: I NEED ASSISTANCE ,PLEASE


From: Patricia Okirika
Cote d'Ivoire / Abidjan
RCI

Subject: Need your help please

Dear  Sir / Madam,
 
I
am happy to be in contact with you, even if this means of communication
(Internet) has been severely mistreated by criminal people making it
difficult for people with a real fight and represent an exchange of
views without skepticism. The phenomenon of forgery and fraud practices
in today's world through the Internet has often been used as a
criterion to eliminate the simple word "trust" so I apologize if you
are bothered by this approach. My name is Mrs. Patricia Okirika, widow
of the late Dr. Jonas Okirika CEO Jonas OIL COMPANY Abidjan Ivory
Coast. We are from Republic of Sierra Leone, but moved to Côte d'Ivoire
during the civil war in our country in 1990. The sad news of his death
was broken to me on 10 June 2008 following the plane crash with Sudan
Airways on his way back from Jordan on a business trip and connect to
airlines Ethiopian Abidjan from the Sudanese capital Khartoum. May his
gentle soul rest in perfect peace. If you like to respond well to me to
give you more details about the transaction that will safely with your
kind cooperation, I hope that this information remains confidential for
security reasons in this case.

In anticipation of your positive response.

Sincerely, Mrs. Patricia Okirika




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