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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: "margaretdon@cantv.net" <margaretdon@cantv.net>
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:45:29 -0430
Subject: HELLO I NEED YOUR HELP FROM MRS MARGARET DON

Hello dear,

Good morning and how are you.

May I start by introducing myself.My name is Mrs. margaret don, a widow from Cote D' Ivoire.

My late husband was poisoned to death according to doctors report.And it was believed that the killers were his brothers because they wanted to inherit his properties.Reason is because I could not give their brother any child.Based on that, they will inherit everything my late husband has since I am not entitled to any according to our tradition.

As I write this mail to you, they have seized everything my late husband and I worked for.But unfortunately to them, they did not know that my late husband bank the sum of $5.000.000.00 with a bank here where he used my name as the next of kin to the money.Because he never trusted his brothers in the first instance.He did that so that I will not be taken unaware in case anything of such happens.

I am employing your assistance in the following ways.

1. Assist me in the transfer of the money into your bank account.

2. Assist me obtain my travelling papers to join you in your country after the smooth transfer of the money.

3.Source a good business where the money will be invested where you will be the overall seer of the business for a given period of time.

4. I will also offer you 20% of the total amount after the completion of the transaction.

If you aggree to my terms, then we have a deal.

You can reach me back so that I can brief you further how we can make this deal work.

I wait your urgent response.

Mrs. margaret don

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