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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: "Lauson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chrislauson@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2011 16:49:16 +0700
Subject: GREAT OPPORTUNITY,

>From Christopher Lauson
Financial Adivers to Mrs Simone Gbagbo
Wife of captured President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory coast.

Good Day

My name is Christopher Lauson, I am a financial adviser to Mrs. Simone Gbagbo, the wife of captured President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory coast.
Over the years while her husband was still in power, I helped her move out funds for lodgement in so many countries waiting for further instructions from her. Due to the problem that arose because of the political situation in Ivory Coast, the EU and USA had seized all funds belonging to Laurent Gbagbo and his allies because he refused to cede power peacefully.

I am contacting you as a matter of urgency to help me receive some of the funds in your account for safe keeping pending my arrival for disbursement.
I want to transfer the sum of USD18, 750,000.00 currently in the name I used to lodge the funds in banks in UK and South-East Asia. You will be entitled to 25% of the funds to be transferred for your assistance.

If you can handle this, reach me with your name, address, telephone number and your date of birth so that with my contact, I will reach the holding bank to remit the funds to your account without any delay.

I cannot in any way handle this transaction by myself because the current administration is probing everyone that have worked with the former president so this has to remain strictly confidential to avoid raise of eyebrows or necessary exposure when the funds is remitted to you.

I wait for your urgent response.

Regards

Christopher Lauson

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