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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: ELENA HOFFMAN <elenahofmann@sify.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 18:34:33 -0300
Subject: FROM ELENA HOFFMAN PLEASE REPLY TO: elenahofmann@sify.com

FROM ELENA HOFFMAN PLEASE REPLY TO: elenahofmann@sify.com
PHONE: +44 7024082698

Please accept my sincere apology for contacting you through this medium. You recommendation was extended to me by a friend of mine with our high commission in your country and I decided to contact you on this matter after reading your profile. I am an established consultant
based here in LONDON, I handle a wide range of trade and investment matters.

Just recently, I was consulted and mandated by a top female
client of mine to source for her, a reputable and trustworthy personality by whom investment on a large scale could be made in your country. My client is here soliciting for your hand in partnership in the personal investment of her funds in REAL ESTATE in your country, at the same time she would like you to manage her portfolio as her partner and TRUSTEE.

Should you be in a position to secure these funds and handle the investment desire of my client, please notify me so that I can give the details on the legal source of the said investment fund and also arrange for an early meeting where we shall discussed among others, investment areas, evacuation or transfer of the funds and above all
the parentage benefits. Lastly, I will advice that we maintain all future communication on this matter via my elenahofmann@sify.com

Regards,

Mrs. Elena Hoffman



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