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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: lilly patrick <lilly4patrick117@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 20 May 2017 07:32:59 -0400
Subject: HELLO IN GOOD FAITH

Hello Dear, Please permit me to introduce myself, I am Miss Chantal Ibrahim Coulibaly 19 years old female from the Republic of Ivory Coast, West Africa, I'm the only child and Daughter of Late Chief Sergeant Ibrahim Coulibaly, My late Father was a well known Ivory Coast military leader. He died on Thursday 28 April 2011 following a fight with the Republican of Ivory Coast military and rebels in our country. My mother died when I was still a baby 4yrs old, my father took me so special. Before the death of my beloved father he told me that he deposited the sum of $6.5 million US dollars in one of the international bank here in our country. My father used my name as his only child and daughter for the next of Kin in depositing of this funds in the bank. I have contacted the Bank to clear the deposit but the Branch Manager told me that my late father place an instruction on the deposited fund that I must present a foreign trustee who will help me in investment of the fund. However the Bank manager advised me to provide a trustee who will stand on my behalf for the transfer of the fund. I am honorably seeking for your assistance to help me provide a bank account in which this money $4.5 million US dollars will be transferred into, and to serve as my guardian also. and to make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education. I am willing to offer you 20% percent out of the total Fund, as a mode of compensation after the transfer, for your time and effort. Thanks and God bless you for your kindness to assist me. Please your urgent reply is needed. Yours sincerely lilly patrick Ibrahim Coulibaly.

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