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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: "Ossi williams" <ossi_williams19@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: ossi_williams19@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2014 13:17:00 +0300 (EAT)
Subject: GREETINGS FROM OSSI AND GRACE WILLIAMS

FROM OSSI & GRACE WILLIAMS.
Avenu 12 Rue 47 ABIDJAN
DANANI REFUGEE CAMP, ABIDJAN
REPUBLIC OF COTE-D'IVOIRE.

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Ossi Williams and my Sister's name is Grace we are the
children of Late Mr. Wilson Williams the former Director of military
intelligence and special acting General Manager of the Sierra Leone
Diamond mining cooperation( SLDMC ). We are contacting you to seek your
good assistance to transfer and invest (USD 9.8 million) belonging to our
late father which he deposited in a bank here in Abidjan.

This money is revenues from solid minerals and diamonds sales which were
under my fathers possession before the civil war broke out. Following the
break out of the war, almost all government offices, cooperation and
parastatals were attacked and vandalized.

The SLDMC was looted and burnt down to ashes, and diamonds worth millions
of dollars was stolen by the rebel military forces who attacked our
fathers office, many top government officials and senior army officers
were assassinated and our father was a key target because of his very
sensitive military position and appointment in the SLDMC. Regrettably, our
father was captured and murdered along with his brother in cool blood
during a mid-night rebel shoot-out when our official residence in free
town was ambushed by Fordey Sanko the notorious rebel leader. Our mother
sustained a bullet injuries which resulted to her untimely and painful
death in a private hospital here in Ivory Coast.

Now we are alone in a totally strange country without parents, relatives
or any body to care for us at our tender ages. Before our mother died, she
told us that our father deposited some money which he made from diamond
sales and contracts in a bank here in Ivory Coast and that we should pray
and find a trust worthy foreign business partner who would help us to
transfer and invest this money in profitable business venture overseas.

She told us to do this quickly so that we can leave Ivory Coast and then
settle down abroad. She gave us the bank document to prove the deposit and
then told us that our father used my name as the only son to deposit the
money in the bank. She told us that this is the reason why we came to
Ivory Coast. My mother died after wards. May her spirit rest in perfect
peace.

I have gone to the bank to make inquires about this money and I spoke with
the Manager of International remittance who assured me that everything is
intact and promised to help us transfer this money to my fathers foreign
partners bank account as soon as we provide our fathers partners foreign
bank account for them. However, the manager is very concerned because of
our age. I am 20 years and my sister is 17 years and as such advised that
we should look for a matured person that will represent me at the bank.

If you are willing to assist us, please let us know immediately so that
you will arrange the transfer of the money to your account with the bank.
Please note that we will offer you 20% of the total money as compensation
for your noble assistance in accordance with my mothers advise. I am
interested in any profitable commercial venture which you consider very
good in your country and you would also get a school for me, my little
sister so that we can finish our college education.

Please there is urgent need for the money to be transferred to your
account because of the political crises they are having in Cote d'Ivoire
now. We are hoping to hear your urgent response.
Thank you and may God bless you and your dear family.

Best Regards,
Yours Children
Ossi and Grace Williams

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