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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: "Maiya" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michelemaiya_75@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2019 18:17:34 +0200
Subject: Please reply.

My Dearest one.
 
How is your day? Mine is cool over here in Burkina Faso,actually you don't know me and I don't know you for the first time, I got your email address through my personal search in internet to locate a foreigner who will help me in this my situation.
 
My name is Miss Michele Maiya Sankof from Mogadishu Somalia in Africa and presently i am residing in the refugee camp here in Burkina Faso as a result of the civil war going on in my country.
 
My late father Dr Wilson Sankof was the personal adviser to the former head of state before the rebels attacked my house one early morning killing my mother and my father.It was only me that is alive now and i managed to make my way to Burkina Faso where i am leaving now as a refugee.
 
Honestly, my day's is not so Good since i came over here in Burkina Faso in this prison called refugee camp, we are only allowed to go out only on Mondays and Fridays of the weeks.Its just like one staying in the prison and i hope by Gods grace i will come out here soon.
 
I don't have any relatives now whom i can go to, all my relatives ran away in the middle of the war the only person i have now is Rev. Pastor Festus Zunga who is the pastor of the (Christ for all Nation) here in the camp, he has been very nice to me since i came here but i am not living with him rather i am leaving in the women's hostel because the camp have two hostels one for men the other for women.
 
I use Pastor Festus internet to email you because I normally visit his office every day, As a refugee here i don't have any right or privilege to anything be it money or whatever because it is against the law of this country.I want to go back to my studies because i only attended my first year before the tragedy incident that lead to my being in this situation now took place.
 
Please listen to this, when my father was alive he deposited some amount of money in a bank which he used my name as the next of kin,the amount in question is US$17,000.000 (Seventeen Million United States Dollars).So i will like you to help me transfer this money to your account and from it you can send some money for me to get my traveling documents and air ticket to come over to meet with you.
 
I kept this secret to people in the camp here the only person that knows about it is the Reverend because he is like a father to me.So in the light of above i will like you to keep it to yourself and don't tell it to anyone for i am afraid of loosing my life and the money if people gets to know about it.Remember i am giving you all this information due to the trust i deposed on you.I like honest and understanding person, truthful, truth and hardworking.
 
Please I will like to have your contact address including your private telephone number in-case if I want to call you any day I come out of this prison called camp, in fact I will like to speak with you my dear.
 
Have a nice day as i await your reply.
 
Yours
Michele Maiya Sankof (An orphan)

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