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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: "Mefia Mensa" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mefiamensa1@e-mail.ua>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:32:53 -0500
Subject: A CRY TO HELP AN ORPHAN

Dear Sir/ Madam,

My name is Mefia Mensa,I am a young girl of 20 years old, My country of Origin is Cape Verde Island. My parents, Mr. and Mrs.lomogan Mensa died on ghastly Air craft crash in December 23rd, 2006 in Sao Tome and Principe, on there way to Lebanon.
When my parents died in December 2006, I was the only child and 13 years old then. My Father was an oil marchant in Singapore for twelve years while my mother was hotel management consultants. Both of them works together as lovely couples in the bussines level.
Two years after my parents died, my relatives forced me into marriage against my wish, I married a 38 years old man. My relatives said the man would give me protection as tradition demands in my country. I never knew the marriage I went into until my first pregnancy at 16 years old. The man planned with my family members and shared my late parent's belongings. When I complained, I was locked up in a room and was giving a beating of my life. The beatings continued until I lost my pregnancy. None of my relatives said anything positive to help me.

I was fast losing my life until the police rescued me and I was legally divorced. The terror I passed through in the hands of my family members are tormenting. I saw hell and I was up a creak without a paddle.

Please my purpose of writing you this message is that, I want to seek refugee in your country and to further my education. I have finished my secondary education and wish to further my education to Masters Degree level or more. Because of what I passed through, I cannot go back to my relatives again because my parents are no more and I have no siblings to share my life with. Hence I started nursing the idea of taking refugee in another country, I went to my father's home save box for my school papers and International passport, and birth certificate, It was also in the boxes that I discovered papers of my father's bank check where he made a deposit valued at 15 Million Dollars with overseas bank. The fund was for a proposed hotel project in Sierra Leone before my parents died. Please I wish to present you as the beneficiary of the US$15M to the bank where my late father made the huge deposit so the bank can release the funds to you as the rightful beneficiary of the funds since I cannot claim the funds mysel

All the documents as regards to the funds is also in the box which I have to present to you as soon as we are able to establish a cordial relationship.

We can work with the fund through getting a university admission for me in your country. With the University admission, I can get a visa easily and come to your country.

The most important thing is my education. You can invest the fund in a lucrative business as I am a little girl who does not have any idea in the business field. Please your loving kindness and helping hand will help an orphan like me. I am going through a traumatic pains here.

I wait for your urgent reply.

Sincerely,
Mefia Mensa

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