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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: "MISS.KADI RAMATU" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kadiramat@sify.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2011 15:37:15 -0000
Subject: BUSINESS INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

DEAREST ONE,
I'M MISS. KADI RAMATU, FROM IVORY COAST. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND I AM 17 YEARS OLD. MY FATHER MR. SIDIBE N’GORAN WAS A FAMOUS RICH FARMER UNTIL HE WAS SHOT DEAD LAST 23 JANUARY 2011.

I WANT TO ENTER INTO A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. I AM IN POSSESSION OF A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHICH I WANT TO INVEST IN YOUR ENTERPRISE (EURO 9.500, 000). RECENTLY, I TOOK THE DECISION TO TRANSFER AND INVEST THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY DUE TO INCESSANT POLITICAL INSTABILITIES IN MY COUNTRY AND IN THIS REGION. I AM LOOKING FOR A CAPABLE AND HONEST PERSON WHO CAN HELP ME TO TRANSFER AND INVEST THIS MONEY IN A RELIABLE BUT PROFITABLE INVESTMENT.

PRESENTLY, THIS MONEY IS STILL IN THE BANK, ONCE I RECEIVE YOUR MAIL AND YOUR INTEREST TO HELP ME I WILL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION TO PERMIT YOU TO CONFIRM THE REAL EXISTENCE OF THIS FUND BEFORE WE ENTER INTO THIS TRANSACTION. THIS TRANSACTION IS RISK FREE AND I WANT IT TO BE CARRIED OUT LEGALLY TO AVOID HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTHORITIES HERE OR THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY.

ONCE I RECEIVE YOUR POSITIVE REPLY THAT PROVES THAT YOU WILL HELP ME I WILL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION. IF MY PROPOSAL AROUSES YOUR INTEREST DO NOT HESITATE TO REPLY QUICKLY.I CAN ONLY REPLY YOU BACK IF I READ YOUR MESSAGE IN MY PRIVATE EMAIL HERE IS


I WAIT FOR YOUR QUICK REPLY,
BEST REGARDS,
MISS.KADI RAMATU.

Anti-fraud resources: