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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: young <gift_youngi@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:40:36 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Dear Friend.




Dear Friend.
How are you and your household?

This is the reason why i contacted you, I am Mrs.Gift Young, by name, from United Kingdom , I am the wife of Dr. Anthony Young, who was a cocoa merchant in Abidjan , the economic capital of Ivory Coast , before he died December 19 2010. We were married for 24 years without a child, After the death of my husband i decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home due to the love i have for my late husband.

Before my husband death i inherited the sum of (8.52 million British pounds) This money was concealed in a metallic trunk box and deposited with a security and finance company under arrangement as a family treasure. This means that the security company does not know the content of this box that was shipped from the united kingdom to Ivory Coast under (CITY LINK COURIER SERVICES) with some fund in biao bank account with my late husband name, Recently i feel sick and i am in hospital, I having known my condition, I decided to contact you and reveal to you in person regarding my heritage, I want to seek your help or any organization that will help me secure the release of this metallic trunk from were it was deposited and use some of the money to build an orphanage home for the less privileged children and widows and also help me to your country for more medical treatment. I took this decision because i don't have any child that will inherit this money and
my late husband relatives have kept me under duress just to know the whereabout of this said fund, after they have took all my late husband properties because i couldn't bear a child for their late brother. I don't want my husband money to be misused or taken from me by my late husband wicked brothers and use it for their own selfish interest and ungodly manner. I need a person that will not betray me on this project, And also Bear in mind that this project remains confindential to yourself alone.

I want you to always remember me in your daily prayers because you are the only hope i have now. As soon as i receive your reply in my next mail i shall give you the contact of the security and finance company in Ivory Coast and the authorization certificate which is the certificate of deposit that they give to me on the very day when the box was deposited under their custody to enable you call them and give them your address for the immediate shipment of the box to you as the original beneficiary of this fund,

Waiting to hear from you soon.
Yours sincerely
Gift Young.

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