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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "huge sum of money" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: "michel machaba" <micc1machaba@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2006 14:33:19 +0000
Subject: Attn please

Mr. Michel Machaba
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH
ABIDJAN COTE-D'IVOIRE
BP ABIDJAN 01

INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

INTRODUCTION: I am Mr. Michel Machaba a Civil Servant in the Ministry of
Health here in Abidjan. I know this proposal will come to you as a surprise
because we have not met before either physically or through correspondence.
I got your contact from our chamber of commerce here in Abidjan Ivory Coast
and have no doubt in your ability to handle this proposal involving huge sum
of money.

THE SUBJECT: My father Mr. Chris Machaba (Now Late) was the Royal Head of my
community, BUAKI (a Cocoa rich town) in Ivory Coast. My community produces
5.8% of the total Cocoa production in Ivory Coast and 0.2% of the Dollar
value of any sold Cocoa is paid to my father as royalty by the Federal
Government. My father was also the Chairman of BUAKI Special Cocoa Trust
Fund. In his position as the Royal head and Chairman of the Cocoa Trust
Fund, he made some money which he left for me as the only heir to inherit.
The said fund is Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($14.5m).
This Money originated from the accumulated royalties between 1981-2005. He
deposited this Money in BANQUE CENTRALE DES ETATS DE L'AFRIQUE
DE L'OUEST (BCEAO) (CENTRAL BANK OF WEST AFRICAN STATES) with an open
beneficiary to the Bank pending when he would finish arrangement to transfer
it abroad. He was planning this when he suddenly died late last year of
Heart Attack.

THE PROPOSAL: Just before my father died he called my attention to the money
and charged me to look for a foreigner who would assist me in
Acceptance/investment of the funds abroad. As the fund has open beneficiary,
right now there is nothing I can do because I can not lay my hands on the
fund because he left instruction with the bank that the fund will only be
transferred abroad upon my provision of foreign account where it will be
transferred. Secondly as a civil servant Ivory Coast Code of Conduct does
not allow us to operate offshore account hence your importance in the whole
transaction.

So I would be very grateful if you could accept to help me achieve this
great objective. I promise to give you 20% of the total funds if
successfully taken to your country as compensation for your assistance. Five
percent (5%) would be set aside to take care of all expenses that may come
up during the transaction.

To indicate your interest, contact me urgently and confidentially for more
information and the roles you will play in this business with the above
telephone number or Email address. All the legal Documents concerning this
Money and the procedures on how to transfer this fund will be sent to you
upon your acceptance.

Finally, I want to assure you of your security on this transaction now and
after successful transfer of the fund to your account. The transaction is
100% risk free. Provided you can give me a very strong assurance and
guarantee that my share will be secured. Please remember to treat this
matter as very confidential. Remember once again that time is of the essence
in this business.

I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.

May the almighty God bless you,

Yours faithfully

Michel Machaba

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam