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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: awarausman16@internet.lu
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:52:05 +0100
Subject: blessed one

Dearest one
I am writing to seek your partnership in the investment of my inherited fund (USD$17.5M) from my late father who died mysteriously last year.
It was very evident that he was poisoned to death. In my culture, when a man dies without a mail child, the brothers shares his property leaving both the wife and the daughters empty, they took including the house we lived in. This is the exact case with me as I am the only daughter of my father. I lost my mother when I was barely a year old and
my father refused to re-marry another wife because he felt solely responsible for my mother's death. This is so because he concentrated much on his businesses that he rarely paid attention to domestic affairs. He was always traveling taking care of his businesses that he did not notice when my mother took ill. He thought it was a minor
illness and was ignorant. My mother on her own resorted to self-medication.
It was not until the illness degenerated that my father took my mother to hospital where she was diagnosed to find out that hepatitis had eaten deep into her blood stream. She died of the sickness. Based on this, my father could not forgive himself easily because of
it and said he was responsible for her death as he could have saved her if only he had paid attention to the things at home rather than concentrating much on his businesses.
Despite all persuasion by friends and relatives, he refused to remarry but ensured that I had everything that I needed. It was as a result of this that he made me the next of kin to his fund deposited with the bank and stated that in the event of any eventuality, I should have a guardian/partner to company with me for the claim/release of the funds. Unfortunately, he died late last year. This is why I have contacted you to serve as a guardian to me and as my foreign partner for the investment of the fund o
My uncles do not know about the fund and I don't want them to, they had already taken my father's houses and other properties because I am a girl. They requested to have my father's bank papers but I simply told them that I do not know where he kept them.
The younger brother took the house in the village while the houses in the town were sold out, they shared the proceed.
Right now, I am in a hotel and do sincerely want to travel out of my country. This can only happen when I have secured the release and transfer of the funds in the bank. This is why
it is important that we have a plan on the type of lucrative business that we can invest the funds on.
I had at various times had discussions with the bank where my father deposited the funds and I was assured that once I have someone who would be willing to receive the funds on my behalf, they shall commence all proceedings to effect the release and transfer of the funds into the person's designated account. If you have signified your interest to partner with me, we will commence action/processing for the release and transfer of my inheritance into your nominated account for the purpose of investment and t
As soon as I receive your urgent reply indicating your interest to successfully transfer the inheritance to your account I shall give you more information and we can commence.
Waiting for your quick reply.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Alima coulibaly

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