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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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Fraud email example:

From: mariama johnson <mariama_johnson22005@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:49:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: NEED HELP


ATTN:
Dear Sir,
In view of my difficulties and problems in this country, I'm so pleased
to
have found someone like you in whom I can confide or at least talk to.
My
name is Mariama Johnson , a freetown, Sierra Leone. I am here in Senegal
as a
refugee. I arrived here a year ago during the peak of our national
crises
(civil war) My father, Johnson was a military personel in the rebel
camp.
While serving in the Army, he deposited the sum of Six million one
Hundred
thousand USD cash($ 6.1 million us dollars cash) to my mother for my
life
inheritance.In a finance and security company here in Dakar Senegal.
He (my father) drowned in a river while attempting to cross during a
battle
with the government troops. I'm using this opportunity pleading for you
to
help me retrieve this money and transfer it into your account pending
when I
will come over to your country for investment. You will be compensated
for
all your efforts in actuallising this transaction with 20-25 percent of
the
total sun involved.
I expect you to wirte soon acknowledging your willingness to help or
otherwise. Thanks.
Yours Sincerely,
mariama johnson














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