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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: helen johnson <helenjohnson4412@rediffmail.com>
Reply-To: helen johnson <helenjohnsonn4464@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 12:03:53 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Good day




 
From Miss. Helen Johnson


Dear Guardian,
Good day to you over there, I am delighted to write to you. I am very sorry if
this mail may come to you as an embarrassment or a surprise, I just felt like
emptying myself to you, to confide in you, as am faced with total frustration
and hardship life here. My Earnest prayer is that you find this mail in good
health and blessings. I am Miss Helen Johnson 22years old and the only daughter
of late Mr. And Mrs Johnson, my father was a very wealth cocoa & gold merchants
in Abidjan, the economic capital of our country Cote d’Ivoire.


My father was attacked by unknown assassins after the political war crisis here
in my Cote d'Ivoire in 2005. My mother died when I was a two years old during
her childbirth and since then my father took me so special as only child.
Before the death of my father on February 2008 in a private hospital here in
Abidjan, he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has the sum
of (us$5.200,000) Five million two hundred thousand United State Dollars in one
of the private security/finances here in Abidjan that he deposited & declared
it's values as a family valuables such as (Gold, Jewellery and family
belongings) for security reason that he used my names as his only daughter for
the next of kin in depositing of the consignment.


Before he finally give up, he advised and instructed me that I should
seek for a
foreign guardian in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and
use it for investment purposes for my future life and education.
Presently, I am
not at the legal age to claim the consignment yet that is why I
contacted you as
my foreign guardian.


I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance, in this regards your
suggestions and ideas will be highly appreciated.


My few questions to you.
(1) Can you help me to retrieve the consignment on my behalf in the security
company custody here and to help me to provide a bank account in which the fund
would be transferred into?


(2) Can you stand as my guardian since I am only 22years old?
(3) Can you kindly help me to make an arrangement to come over to your country
to further my education and to secure a resident permit in your country as soon
as receive the money?


(5) Can I completely trust you?
(6) What percentage of the total fund in question will be good for you
after the
money is in your possession?


Please, consider this and get back to me as soon as possible if you are
interested.


I am looking forward to hearing from you.


Thanks and God bless you.
Your respectful,
Helen Johnson.

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