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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Ms.Clara Briss" <msclarabriss10@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 07:10:54 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Greetings My Dear


Greetings My Dear   

My name is Ms. Clara Briss from America. I am a sick woman who has decided to donate what I have to charity through you. You may be wondering why I chose you. But someone has to be chosen. I am 59 years old and was diagnosed for cancer about 2 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband who had left me everything he worked for when he was working in our Embassy for nine years before ended up poisoning him to death by relatives on the 19th November 2006. I am suffering from a long time cancer, which also affected my heart.

My husband and I are Christians,but quite unfortunately, he died by poisoning,I have decided to WILL / Donate the sum of $6.5 Million United State Dollars to charity through you for the good work of the lord, and to help the motherless, less privileged and also for the assistance of the widows.I inherited a total sum of $6.5 million dollars from my late husband, this money which is concealed in a metallic trunk box is deposited with a security and finance company in Cote D'Ivoire. Due to  this deposit was coded under a secret arrangement as a family treasure.This means that the security company does not know the content of this trunk box.

After the political crisis in Ivory Coast between President-elect Alassane Ouattara and ex-President Laurent Gbagbo, i wrote a letter to security company were my late husband deposited the box for the release of the box to me, the security company told me that only my late husband foreign business partner is Authorised/Pemmited for the release of the box, do to the agreement which my late husband made with them on the day he deposited this box.I have been promised by the security company that as soon as they hear from my late husband foreign business partner they will have the box released or shipped to Him/Her.

After a three days of fasting and prayer, I decided to contact you to solicite for your assistance in standing before the security company as my late husband foreign business partner so that they will have the box released/shipped to you there in your country. for the project which my late husband deposited the money for..

Presently, I have informed the security company about you,let me inform you that this transaction is legal and 100% risk free. Moreover, I will be giving you the 20% of the total money after the release of the box to you in your country.

Please let me hear what you have to say immediately so that we can proceed as I do not want to stay long in this country due to the present political crisis over here.

I know i have never met you but my mind tells me to do this with you and  I hope you act sincerely.

Your beloved sister in Christ,
Ms. Clara Briss

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