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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: Felix Wadata <felixwadada@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: felixwadada@ymail.com
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:28:17 -0700
Subject: Hello There

Dear sir,
How are you and the daily activities including your family? Hope everybody is fine.
Though we've not met,i got your mail from a search on the internet on those who have kind hearts towards refugees and earthly disaster victims.
I am Felix Wadata.I am a citizen of Congo Democratic Republic, elder Son to the Minister of Mines and Energy who was killed by bandits during the Congolese war.
I am right now in the United nation Refugee Camp here in Accra,Ghana in respect of my inherited consignment box which is here in Accra and the main reason of me contacting you.
My father died and left behind physical cash of $12 Million USD and 120kilos of dust Gold which he packaged in a consignment box and safely kept in a Security Finance Company here in Accra Ghana,before he was eventually murdered on his way from Freetown to Bamako.I have been in Ghana 4 years,and all my effort to see that this consignment box is been released to me as been in vain because they the management of the Security Finance Company said that due to my status as a refugee in the country I cannot handle the release of my box.
In order to help the manager of the company advised that I look for a foreign beneficiary who can help me with the release of my box
The manager then advised that I look for a foreign investor who can help me pay the release of this box and pay a reliable Diplomatic Courier Company which would deliver my box to him abroad and help me prepare a Visa for me to come over to him/her in his country because it was risky handling a consignment box in Africa as everyone here know that a consignment box contains valuable properties.
I want to invest this money in any profitable business of your choice in your country. I am hereby soliciting your assistance to be my foreign partner because I've not been to Europe/America or Asia. before in my life. So I don't want to make any costly mistake that will make me lose my inheritance.
That is why I am contacting you to help me,as I understand that you are a friend of the needy and the helpless.
You will be entitled to 30% of the total value in the box for your assistance. All I want is for you to receive the box after which I would give you the code of opening the box,then you open it and remove money that you use to prepare all documents that would enable me stay in the Indonesia and send invitation letter for me to join you,then we can be together and share our wealth.Your urgent reply will enable me to arrange with the Security Finance Company to move this box through their special Diplomatic Courier Services to your country.For you to claim it till we meet you up in your country for my investment.
All the necessary documents of deposit from the Security Company are with me,and I have attached for you to see.
N B In your reply, please include your private telephone and fax numbers,scanned copy of your international passport or driving license for proper identification and I will reply you with relevant documents covering the box.
Please think about this before you reply me,as I consider you as my parent and helping me in this will bring us closer.
I will also like to know if you can come over to Ghana to supervise everything,that I will appreciate the more,but if you cannot come over,all I will need is your total cooperation to help me and everything will happen and you will receive my consignment box in your destination then you can send me invitation for me to come over so that we can share and invest our funds.
You have nothing to worry,as I am the only one alive,who has the code to opening the consignment box.
Thanks for your co-operation and I hope to hear from you soon.
My best regards.
Felix Wadata.


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