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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: Esther Kones <estherkones@gmail.com>
Reply-To: estherkones01@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2011 06:39:01 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: I am pleased to write you




My Beloved
    Good day to you and how is everything? Honestly I am glad to writeyou this letter with hope you will find it favourable to hear me out.My name is Esther Kipkalya Kones,i am 24 years old,Kenyan and thedaughter of the former Kenya road minister late Mr Kipkalya Kones whodied on Tuesday 10th June 2008 along the Cessna 210 plane crash whichwas heading to Kericho in a remote area called Kajonga in western Kenyaas You can read more on the crash below:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/06/10/kenya.crash/index.html

Although it might be a surprise reading my mail as we are just gettingto know each other formerly,please i want you to consider this as adivine wish and accept it with a better understanding that my coming toyou is for a good life with me because i am in difficult situationwhere i am and i just need your honest assistance. Ernestly i amwriting this mail with tears and sorrow from my heart due to thecondition i find myself after the passing away of myparent,nothwithstanding the whole tragic situation my step mother mademe feel mallested and rejected me without any cause simply because mymum had died earlier and we are from a polygamous family. Thereafterthe funeral of my late dad,my stepmother and my uncle with theirAfrican mentality conspired and sold off my father's properties worthmillions of dollar to an italian expertrate and shared the money amongthemselves living me with nothing.

One faithful morning as i tried to open my father's briefcase,i foundan important documents with which my father had deposited some money inmy name as the next of kin at the African development bank,BurkinaFaso. I had travelled down to Burkina Faso to withdraw some of themoney to take good care of my self because i am in difficulty but theBank Director whom I met in person highlited me on my father'sinstruction to the bank concerning the money and how it should bewithdrawn that only on the account that i am married or i shouldpresent to the bank an honest, responsible and worthy trustee whom willassist me in reclaiming the fund into safe hands and transfer it for aninvestment as i finish up my education. In my search for a reliableperson i have found you as someone i could count on and I believe thatyou will not betray my trust on you but rather take me as your ownsister or closest friend because right now i am suffering terribly herein Burkina faso in
the mission camp as i have no body to rescue me fromthis strange situation in a foreign land.

I have chosen you to be my best companion and in my prayers i amconvinced that you will be the true person to rescue me from thistrouble as my trustee and i am having the trust that with you by me,iwill accompish this successfully. I have confirmed the money from thebank and it is just about $7.2 million in their records as unclaimedbill in my father account and i have submitted the death certificateand deposit certificate of the fund to the bank stating my geneuity.Please i have the plan to compensate you with 30% out of the wholemoney in as much as you could help with the neccesary requirement tomake the transfer of this fund into your account successfully. I waitupon your positive response showing your interest and ability to standfor me to carry out this transaction successfully and in the light ofthe above proposal, i shall appreciate your urgent message indicatingyour willingness to help me achieve this successfully with a betterdetails about
yourself ok. Thanks and God bless you for your honesty asi look forward to seeing your reply.

Your Sincerely
Miss Esther Kipkalya


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