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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: Maria Koffi <mariakoffi2002@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 09:29:42 +0100 (BST)
Subject: A Family In Dare Need Of Assistance.


FROM: MRS MARIA KOFFI
324 RUE MEWAY, TRES VILLE
COTE D'IVOIRE.

Dear Friend,

I know you will be surprised to read from me,but please consider this letter as a request from a family in dare need of assistance.Firstly, I must introduce myself, I am Mrs. Maria Koffi from Cote D'ivoire.

I am the wife of late Brigadier Badou Koffi My husband was a Brigadier incharge of arms ammunitions procurement in the Cote D'ivoire army. In his "Will",he specifically drew my attention to US$20 Million which he deposited in a safe box of a private Security Company in Lome-Togo Africa, as a treasure box, fully documented in our first son's name (Mr.Kenneth Koffi). IN FACT MY HUSBAND SAID AND I QUOTE:"My beloved son, I wish to draw your attention to US$20million(Twenty- Million United States Dollars). I deposited the box containing the fund in a private Security Company in Lome-Togo.

Before the coup d'etat that took place in our country,I was very dedicated and committed to be promoted to the post of personal assistance to the president against until when I found out that senior army officers and top government functionaries were busy helping themselves with government funds and properties and sending them to foreign countries".Due to this when I was assigned by the President (President Henry Konan BEDIE) to purchase arms from South Africa, I saw this as a golden opportunity and diverted the fund for my personal use.

In case of my absence on each as a result of death only, you should solicit for the transfer of the fund out of this shore for investment purposes.From the above, you will understand that the lives and future of my family depends on this fund, as such I will be grateful if you can assist my son who is in Lome Togo for now as an asylum seeker,and the financial laws and gulations of the Republic of Togo do not permit an asylum seeker to operate in a bank or invest.

In view of this, I can not invest this fund in Lome Togo, hence I have contacted you ,am prepared to offer you 20% of the total fund,and 80% will be for my family. Finally, modalities on how the transfer will be done will be conveyed to you once we haveestablished trust and confidence between ourselves.

Please treat this matter as very urgent.


I await for your urgent response.Cheers and God bless you.

MRS MARIA KOFFI.





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