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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: Thomas Wanda <wamthommaria5@msn.com>
Reply-To: <thomwan2011@yahoo.cn>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:41:08 +0000
Subject: From Thomas and Maria Wanda



Add: 9 rue St. Bernard, Gonzac,
Abidjan - Côte d'Ivoire

Good Day,

I Come to You With A Sincere Heart Believing In Al-mighty God That You Will Consider My Invitation And Come To Help And Also Benefit From Me. Although, We Have Not Met Neither In Person Nor By Correspondence. But I Believe It Is One Day That You Get To Know Somebody Either In Physical Or Through Correspondence. I Appeal To You To Exercise A Little Patience And Read Through My Letter Because I Feel Quite Safe Dealing With You In Person Therefore I'm Writing This Mail To You With Due Respect, Trust And Humanity And With Pains, Tears And Sorrow From My Heart . Honestly, I Wish To Contact You Personally For A Long Term Business Relationship And Investment Assistance In Your Country.

I am Thomas Wanda and my junior sister Maria Wanda, the only child and daughter of late Mr. and Mrs. Chief Dawodu Wanda My father was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast, before he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their outing to discuss on a business transactions.

When my mother died on the 6th August 1996, my father took us special because we are motherless. Before the death of my father on 30th June 2006 in a private hospital here in Abidjan, he secretly called me on his bedside and told me that he has a sum of ($9, 5,000.000.00) left in a private finance institution here in Abidjan, the said funds was deposited on my name as his only Son as the next of kin. The deposit documents are intact with me. He told me that his enemies were jealous of his successful business empire as a result of this wanted dead by all means so as to inherit a business transaction carried out at that time that was the reason for wanting him dead by poisoning him. However he warned me to be very careful because they could as well come after my own life as the heir to his wealth instead I should seek for a God fearing foreign national that does not know me to partner with for a successful movement of the deposit out of this country for a viable investment. Partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose, (such as real estate ETC)


Please if you can be able to assist me indicate your interest by sending

Via email the following info below:
1. Your Full Name
2. Postal address
3. Occupation
4. Telephone

This information will enable me to formally introduce you to the finance institution as my guardian for them to release the funds to you. So that we will continue our education and a new life we have it in mind to give you 20% of the total sum ($9.5 million US Dollars), and 30% share in any investment we will embark upon if you assist us. We will also set aside 5% of the funds for ancillary expenses which you will make in course of this transaction- phone calls etc.

This fortune we have revealed to you should remain confidential as it only
you who we have told about it. Anticipating hearing from you quick please.

Thanks and God Bless.
Yours faithfully
Thomas and Maria Wanda


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