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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: Maria Vieira <mariavieira89@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2015 03:03:31 -0700
Subject: Appeal For Help



Good Day Sir,
It is my pleasure to write you after going through your profile considering that I have not seen you face to face but it made me believe that you can help me solve my problem. I am Miss Maria Bernardo Vieira daughter from Republic of Guinea-Bissau . I am writing from Rep of Cote d'Ivoire where we have been taking refuge after the tragic death of my father His Excellency Joao Bernardo Vieira, President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, which occurred on Monday 2nd February 2009.Assassinated. by tosan and murder of my father by the political rebels during the renewed fighting in our country.
Before the political problem my late Father sold his shipping company and took
me to a nearby country Cote d'Ivoire to make a deposit of a METALLIC TRUNK BOX which contains the sum of US $ 14.3 million and the deposit was made on my name as his daughter Due to the courrent political sutuation in Ivory Coast I am
seeking for your assistance to transfer this found and also relocate to your country to further my studies and I am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum for your help.
i await anxiously to hear from you so that we will discuss the modalities of this transaction and please treat this matter with confidentcial because of the safety of my life and the money .
Best Regards
Miss Maria Bernardo Vieira

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