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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: "charleskoffi1@cantv.net" <charleskoffi1@cantv.net>
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:53:13 -0430
Subject: WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE

IN THE NAME OF GOD WE ARE WRITING YOU THIS EMAIL,
 
Me and my sister arrived here,Abidjan republic of Ivory Coast ,through the mercy and the grace of God,if not we could have been dead in our country because our late father's brother wanted to inherit my late father's wealth and estates.Even now,he has forcefully collected all my father's properties like buildings and cars,e.t.c.
 
He and his wife always punish me and my sister, and have made life very difficult for us. The wife served us a poisoned rice meal, but for the devine mercy of God Almighty, me and my sister did not to eat the meal. I threw away the food into the dust bin and the following morning,I and my sister found the house pet (CAT) dead  in the dust bin after eating the poisoned food.This developement made me to run away from here immediately with my kid sister to Abidjan,the economy capital of Ivory Coast. And we don't want to stay long here in abidjan because we do not know anybody here and again me and my sister do not have much pocket money to pay for our hotel bills. 
 
My name is Charles Koffi and my junior sister is Gloria Koffi.I need your help now.YOU WILL HELP ME AND MY SISTER NOW.We are the only children of late Mr.Gabriel Koffi.Our late father was a  rich gold and diamond dealer before his death.Our late father is dead now.Our mother died 20 years ago, precisely during the child birth of my kid sister,Gloria. AND NOW, WE ARE LEFT ALONE IN THIS EVIL WORLD.I am 22 years old and my sister is 20 years old.Me and my sister wish to continue our education in your country.I want to study medicine so as to become a medical doctor,why my sister want to study nurse to become a nurse.We have plans to build a big hospital in your country after our graduation from the medical school.
 
Before the death of our father in a private hospital in Freetown, he secretly called me by his hospital bed side and told me that he deposited  Ten Million Five Hundred United States Dollars(USD $10.5 Million)  for Me and my sister in a private security company in Abidjan,Cote d'IVoire .Me and my sister need you to help us keep the USD $10.5 million safe and secured for us because we are too young to manage and keep this big cash by ourselves.We also wish to continue our education in your country and you will help us invest the money in your country.Me and my sister have agreed to reward you with 20% of the money.
 
I WANT YOU TO BE HONEST AND SINCERE TO ME AND MY SISTER.Me and my sister wish that you will be sincere and honest to us and promise not to betray us and run away with our family money because the 20% we have promised to reward you with is good enough to make you to be kind and love orphans like me and my sister.We wish that you will love and care for us because we have no father and mother.
I wait for your reply now.
Best regards,

Charles and Gloria

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