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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: joy.wilson6@btopenworld.com
Reply-To: joy2009wilson@hotmail.com
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 18:41:19 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: From: Miss.Joy Wilson


From: Miss.Joy Wilson
Abidjan. Cote D'Ivoire
West Africa
Dear
                    My warmest greeting to you,
I am miss Joy Wilson , I inheritated an important some from my late Father
who died in recent crisis in Cote d'Ivoire.  I wish to request for your
assistance in investing this sum in lucrative venture or manufacturing and
real estate management in your country. I have Ten million, five hundred
thousand United State Dollars. USD($10,500,000) to invest in this transaction
and I will require your assistance in receiving the fund in your account in
your country.  I will gladly give you some resonable percent from the total
sum for your assistance.
 
Before his death on September 2007, he gave me all the necessary legal
documents to the deposit of the fund in the bank, I am 20 years old and a
university undergraduate and really don't know what to do. Now I want an account
overseas where I can transfer this funds and after the transaction I will
come and reside permanently in your country till such a time that it will be
convinient for me to return back home if I so desire. This is because I
have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis
here in Ivory coast. The death of my Father actually brought sorrow to my
life. I also want to invest the funds under your care because I am ignorant of
business world.
 
I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards. Your
suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded. Now permit me to ask these few
questions:
1. Can you honestly help me from your heart?
2. Can I completely trust you?
3. What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you
after the money is in your account?
 
Please, consider this and get back to me as soon as possible. Immedaitely I
confirm your willingness, I will send to you my picture and also give you
more details about myself and the bank were my late Father deposited the
fund, so that you can reach the bank and confirm the existence of the fund as
well, because seeing is believing.
 
Awaiting your immediate response and may God bless you. 
 
Miss Joy Wilson.
 

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