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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: "Larisa Sosnitskaya" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <larisa.desk@live.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:19:41 +0100
Subject: Honest and sincere assistance required please.

Dear Friend,
I am Larisa Sosnitskaya and I represent Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky the former C.E.O of Yukos Oil Company in Russia. I have a very sensitive and confidential brief from this top oligarch to ask for your partnership in re-profiling funds in the amount of US$46 Million (Forty six million United States Dollars). I will give you the details after I have received your response signifying your interest in this project. In summary, the funds are still in the security deposit of a reputable bank in Europe. Also, I will instruct you on how you would contact and open a bank account in the corresponding bank in Europe in your name so as to transfer the total amount as requested by my boss(Mikhail Khodorkovsky) to your own account.

This is a legitimate transaction. You will be paid 20% as your commisson/compensation for your active efforts and contribution to the success of this transaction.
You can watch more on CNN or BBC to get more news about my boss and I will provide you with various websites for you to catch more stories:
If you are interested, please do indicate by providing me with your full names, email address, confidential telephone number, fax number and I will provide further details and instructions.

Please keep this confidential as we cannot afford more political problems.
Kindly send me your response as soon as possible to my confidential address.
I look forward to it.

Kindest Regards,
Larisa Sosnitskaya

NB, You can view these websites to read more stories about my boss:
http://www.yukos.com/
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/05/31/khodorkovsky/index.html
http://www.mbktrial.com/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3213505.stm
http://www.sourcewatch.org/indexphp?title=Mikhail_B._Khodorkovsky
http://www.nndb.com/people/633/000025558/

Anti-fraud resources: