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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: "Mrs. maryann Jacob" <maryannjacob05@netscape.net>
Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2006 23:04:34 +0600
Subject: Do you remember me?



Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mrs. Maryann Jacob.
Am working with a Security company here in Amsterdam the Netherlands
(Holland) as vault's inspector, few weeks ago, while taking inventories
of the items in our vault, to my surprise I came across a metallic box
which had been left there for a long period of time. I was able to open
the box only to discover that the box contained hundred bills of United
States Dollars which amount to 15 million USD as being indicated on the
certificate of ownership that I saw inside the box. Right now as I am
writing to you, the said box is still in the vault unclaimed.
As at this moment, I am the only one who knows about the content of
this box, as the box was originally deposited with the company as a none
inspected consignment containing family valuables,
I humbly seek your assistance for the claim of this box as the owner;
please do let me know if you are willing for this proposal, so that I
will immediately make the change of the ownership to your name before the
onward claims.
Our sharing ratio will be 60/40, I want to assure you that this
transaction is risk free and I would like you to keep everything
confidential
until we succeeded in bringing the box out. For more inquiries feel
free to ask, via email;maryannjacob03@Netscape.net Please always
bear in mind that this suggestion is free from risk, and
I have been making effort to see that my dream comes true.
Hoping to hearing from you soon, for security reasons, until we
establish the trust and work with one accord because that is where I put
all
my life hope to become a public figure, I believe, that was the way God
wanted to change my life after years of suffering with the company.
Remain bless, till I hear from you.
Mrs. Maryann Jacob.



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