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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: "COULIBALY Thomson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <coulibalythomson@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:12:49 +0700
Subject: From COULIBALY Thomson

Dearest One,


With due respect and humility I write you this letter which I believe you would be of great assistance to me.


Please I am Thomson Coulibaly, the only son of late chief Joseph Coulibaly from Sierra Leone. My sources of your contact gave me the courage and confidence to rely on you. I am writing you in absolute confidence primarily to seek your assistance to transfer our cash of Fourteen
million, Five hundred thousand dollars ($14,500,000) now in the custody of a Bank here in Abidjan to your private account pending our arrival to your country.


SOURCE OF THE MONEY


My late father, Chief Joseph Coulibay, a native of mende district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone, was the general Manager of Sierra Leone mining co-operation (S.L.M.C.) Freetown. According to my late father. This money was the income accrued from mining co operation's over draft and minor sales.


Before the peak of the civil war between the rebels forces of Major Paul Koroma and the combined forces of ECOMOG peace keeping operation that almost destroyed my country, following the forceful removal from power of the Civilian Elected President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah by the rebels. My father had already made arrangement for his family, my mother, and myself to be
evacuated to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire with our personal effects and the box containing team. My father deposited the fund for the safe custody until after the war when he will join us.


During the war in my country, and following the indiscriminate looting of public and Government properties by the rebel forces, the Sierra Leone mining coop. was one of the targets looted and destroyed. My father including other top Government functionaries were attacked and killed by
the rebels in November 1999 because of his relationship with the civilian Government of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. As a result of my father death, and with the news of my uncles involvement in air crash in January, dashed our hope of survival.



The untimely deaths caused my mothers heart failure and other related complications of which she later died in the hospital after we must have spent a lot of money on her.Now I am alone in this strange country suffering without any care or help. Without any relation, I am like
refugee and orphan.My only hope now is in fund my late father deposited in the bank to this effect.

I humbly solicit your assistance in the followings ways. To assist me claim this fund from the bank as co-beneficiary. Transfer this money in your name to your country. To make a good arrangement for a joint business investment on my behalf in your country and you, the care taker. To secure a college for me in your country to further my education. And to make
arrangement for my travel with you to your country after you have transferred this fund.


For your assistance, I beg to concede 20 % of this money to you for your efforts assistance.


Thanks and Best regards


Thomson Coulibaly.

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