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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: Nellie Johnson <nelliejoh18@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 20:37:38 +0000
Subject: Holle Dear

Hi Dear,


Good Morning!

I know this mail will come to you as a surprise since we haven't known
or
come across each other before. I am Nellie Johnson 19 years old female
from
the Republic of Ivory Coast, West Africa. I lost my mother at the very
young age of 8, and being the only child, I have neither brothers nor
sisters. I was a student of fashion and design in a college before the
ugly
incident that took the life of my father. And since then I've been
passing
through a very difficult and painful period of my life.

With due respect and humility I write you this letter which I believe
you
would be of great assistance to me. I want you to help me invest my
inherited fund ($5,500.000.00) Five Million Five Hundred Thousand US
Dollars into a profitable business in your Country as my.

My late father was into real estate business for many years before he
was
poisoned on his way coming back from business trip. I will give you more
details once you reply my message. Please I will be glad if you can help
me
invest in a profitable business in your country. If you agree, we shall
both share the total annual profit. I am thinking of investing into any
of
these areas like (REAL ESTATE, 5 STAR HOTEL, TRANSPORTATION,
COMMUNICATION,
and AGRICULTURE OR TEXTILE)

Please your suggestion and idea will be fine for me. I demand you treat
this very confidential. I will give you full details of the fund as soon
as
I receive your reply.

Waiting for your soonest reply.

Nellie Johnson

Anti-fraud resources: