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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: "Miss Erica Bongo Ondimba" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ericabongo1984@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:39:38 +0100
Subject: From Miss Erica Bongo,

Rum Miss Erica Bongo
(Omar Bongo Family).
Rue 1015 Paris Village.
Abidjan Cote d Ivoire.
Dearest one
I am writing this letter in confidence believing that if it is the wish of God for you to help me and my family, God almighty will bless and reward you abundantly and you would never regret this. Erica Bongo Ondimba is my name, a stepdaughter to the Late Gabonese Head of State El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba who passed on in his sick bed in Barcelona Spain on Monday morning of June 8- 2009. Check below the website for confirmation:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8094606.stm& lt; BR>
My mother was a concubine to the late president. Since the death of my Stepfather, there have been serious problems in the family concerning the wealth he amassed over the years as the President of Gabon. My elderly Step brothers made it clear to me and my mother that I and my younger brother are not welcomed in any of the presidential houses since our mother was not legally married to Late President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba. Due to these developments, my mother has broken down with illnesses that have rendered her almost incapacitated and currently in the hospital here in Abidjan.
Luckily for us, before my Stepfather’s death, he made available the sum of £ 17.3 Million (Seventeen Million Three hundred Euros). available to my Mother for the purchase of luxurious apartments and Holiday resorts. For this, my Stepfather successfully deposited this money in a bank in Cote d'Ivoire . The said sum was deposited with a bank in Cote d'Ivoire and the whole documentation was handed over to my Mother. As I and my mother together with my younger brother managed to escape house arrest in Gabon as planned by my Stepbrothers. Presently, we are residing in Cote d'Ivoire.
The crux of this letter is for you an entrepreneur to help me and my surviving family in investing this lump sum in a profitable venture in your country since this is the only thing we have left as a source of livelihood. For your anticipated assistance, 25% of the entire amount that will be released to you as yours while 75% for us. We will also like to join you in your country when the money is transferred to you. In your reply to this mail, endeavours to provide me your personal email address..................
Your age.................
Your direct telephone numbers.....................
Your fax numbers..........................
for easier communication with you at all time.
Please help.
Yours sincerely
Miss Erica Bongo Ondimba

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