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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MARY SARY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <marysary1@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2015 13:54:12 -0800
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME TO REGAIN MY FREEDOM

Good day,
 
I am Ms. Mary Sary, the only daughter of late Dr and Mrs.Andrew Sary, from Cote d`Ivoire. I have decided to contact you after much consideration, though I have not met with you before but I believe that one has to risk confiding in someone to succeed sometimes in life based on the situation that person finds his or herself and that is my reason of contacting you on this matter. 
My late father Dr. Andrew Sary was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in Northern part of Cote d`Ivoire; He was manipulated and killed by his only brother alongside my Mum and my younger Sister during the political crisis in my country Cote d`Ivoire. My late father through his hard work during his life time on earth made a fortune and established many businesses which have now been collected by his only brother the suspect that arranged the killing of my parents.
Through my findings before living Cote d`Ivoire I was able to get some personal documents of my late father and some was a fund deposit amounts to the tune of  Thirteen Million Eight hundred Thousand US Dollars ($13.800.000.00) with a bank in Ghana under some conditions which necessitate this communication to you. I will give you full details in my next message if you are ready to assist me. I contacted you to assist me to transfer this money to your account and invest it in any lucrative businesses you know that can better my future and assist me to relocate to your country for my dear life because I am really afraid of by father’s brother.
Presently I am residing here in Ghana and the condition of living is unbearable and most reasons I contacted you. I am willing to offer you 25% of the total sum as compensation for your  EFFORT/INPUT after the successful transfer of this funds Into your  Bank account overseas while 3% will be mapped out for any expenses that may be incurred during the transfer process because I am convinced that this transaction may require little amount of money as I was told by the CEO of the bank, reasons I have decided to map out 3% of the total sum which will be added to the 25% to serve as your expenditure on this matter. That is to say that once the transfer is done and confirmed into your bank account, you will be entitled to have 28% of the total sum as your share while 72% remains for me under your care which will be invested into any lucrative businesses you know.
Please if you are able to assist me sincerely, kindly reply through the following secured email (marysary1@hotmail.com) so that I will give you further details.
I am waiting for your response through my private email.
Thanks and remain blessed.
 
Mary Sary

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