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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: Joseph Kuma <joesekuma011@gmail.com>
Reply-To: josephkuma01@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2011 03:56:54 -0800 (PST)
Subject: From Mr Joseph Kuma.


From Mr Joseph Kuma.
 
Greetings and best regard.
 
I am Mr.Joseph Kuma a 41 years old,from Cote D'Ivoire.I am the foreign payment consolidation manager of  a commercial Bank in Cote D'Ivoire .I find your contact in a business directory and I decide to contact you immediately for friendship and business of mutual benefit for you and me.
 
My branch made excess profit of $'3,500.000.00 during the last fiscal year, which I placed in a secured Account  as a bonded fund in our bank since I have already submitted 2009 approved end of the year report to our head office.
 
In essence,I need your trust to stand as the original depositor of this fund, so that the fund will be transferred to your company or private account immediately.
 
I will use my position to influence this project in other to expedite the transfer by our bank head office to your foreign bank account . I intend to part with 30% of this fund to you as gratification while 70% shall be for me.
 
This transaction is purely legal and practically no risks involve, it will be a bank-to-bank transfer.
 
I await your positive reply for more details.
 
I end here with much love and also with much respect to you.
Best Regards
Mr Joseph Kuma.

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