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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: marina <marina@vodaphon.info>
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 12:59:16 -0600
Subject: GOD BLESS

My Dear,

This is Miss Marina Sanzel from Trinidad &Tobago. I am writing from the
hospital in Ivory Coast, therefore this mail is very urgent as you can
see that I'm dying in the hospital which I don't know what tomorrow will
be. I was told by my doctor that I was poisoned and has got my liver
damaged and can only live for some months.
I inherited some money ($2.5 Million) from my late father and I cannot
think of anybody trying to kill me apart from my step mother in order to
inherit the money, she is an Ivorian by nationality.

I want you to contact my servant with this information below:
Servant Augustine Maranatha.
Address: Rue De La Princess L /G 152 Cocody
Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire.
Email: maranathaaugustine@yahoo.fr

He will give you the documents of the money and will direct you to a
well known lawyer that I have appointed to him, the lawyer will assist
you to change the documents of the money to your name to enable the bank
transfer the money to you.

This is the favor I need when you have gotten the money :-

(1) Give 20% of the money to my servant Augustine as he has been there
for me through my illness and I have promised to support him in life. I
want you to take him along with you to your country and establish him as
your son.

(2) Give 30% of the money to handicap people and charity organization,
then the remaining one is yours. Note; This should be a code between you
and my Servant Augustine in this transaction "Hospital" any mail from
him, the barrister he will direct you to, without this code "Hospital"
is not from the barrister, Augustine, the bank or myself as I don't know
what will happen to me in the next few hours.

(3) The lawyer's name is Mc Lambert Adams. And Let Augustine send you
his International passport to be sure of whom you are dealing with.
Augustine is so little therefore guide him.

And if I don't hear from you, I will look for another person or an
organization.

Please do not forget to contact Maranatha Augustine with /
maranathaaugustine@yahoo.fr

May Almighty God bless you and use you to accomplish my wish.
Pray for me always
Miss Marina Sanzel.

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