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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 <felix17lo@yandex.com>
Reply-To: felix17llo@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 18:18:30 +0100
Subject: HELLO

Good day to you:
Please don’t be offended at this mail, and thank you in advance for
reading. My name is Felix Ballo; I am 18 years from Côte-d'Ivoire (Ivory
Coast). The purpose of this letter is to ask for your kind help; maybe
you can be able to help me. There was a big political crisis in our
country in 2011 that caused a civil war. My father a politician was shot
by the rebels in April 2011 and died in hospital three days later. I am
unable to continue my education to the university because my stepmother
has refused to pay my school fees. But, before the outbreak of the war
in 2011, my late father had kept some funds the sum of $2 Million in a
bank here in our country. In effect, I wanted to have access to the
fund so I could continue my education outside my country. So, I
contacted the bank recently and they confirmed the existence of the
fund, after verifying the information I gave them. But, they said that
they cannot treat my application regarding the fund unless an elderly
relative or my tutor attests for me. They have actually requested lots
of things, but, most importantly that I present my tutor/guardian to
attest for me. Though I insisted that I am already 18yrs; they said
that the banking law in our country does not consider age in inheritance
fund reclaiming. As a matter of fact, I don’t have any reliable family
members here to help me. And due to the situation of our country, I
cannot trust anyone from here. Since after the war, there is
insecurity, hatred, ethnic strife and divisions here.
This is why I have come to seek your help. I wanted to put you in
contact with the bank as my tutor, manager etc. So you will ask the
bank for the release and transfer of the fund to your country. And
thereafter you help me come to your country legally to continue my
education. In fact, I want to leave my country Ivory Coast so I could
continue my education in peace. I believe that you can help me if you
are willing; I am good boy and, I promise that your help will not be in
vain. I will send you all information about the fund and myself when I
receive your response. Please understand that I am soliciting your
kindness to act as my tutor, manager, or even my friend etc.
I look forward to your response.
Faithfully,
Felix Ballo
felix17llo@gmail.com

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