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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: Melisa Koffi <melisa_koffi@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: melisakoffi@ymail.com
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2011 13:02:33 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: I AWAIT UR URGENT RESPONSE


 Dear Friend,   I wish to request for your urgent assistance for my investment plans in your base,I am Miss Melisa Koffi born into the family of late Mr/Mrs Charles Koffi former minister of finance and economics here in cote d ivoire.
I wish to invest my inheritance fund in your base,this is because I inherited an important sum from my late father who died in recent political crisis in my country.Before his death, he informed me on his sick bed  that he has the total sum of ($12,500,000)Twelve Million Five hundred thousand united states dollars and that he deposit the sum in my name as the next of kin. The money was deposited for my social security and fruitful international investment.Further directives and details about the deposit and how to move the fund successfully to you will be given to you as soon as I get your response . Waiting For Your Urgent Mail, Yours Faithfully,
Melisa Koffi

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