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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: "gitta_moh@cantv.net" <gitta_moh@cantv.net>
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:15:26 -0430
Subject: From Mr Usman Useni

From Mr Usman Useni
 
Dear,
 
Suddenly you got this mail and may be doubting and wondering how I got your mail contact. Well, I got your contact from an operator of an internet services in the Chambers of Commerce and Industry here in Abidjan, Cote d' Ivoire, hence I decided to write you, though I did not mention the transaction to him.
 
I Mr Usman Useni ,an accountant with one of the local bank here in Abidjan, the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire I am contacting you on this business of transferring the sum of (US$8 million) into a safe foreign account and it must be very confidential. I solicit your urgent assistance for the transfer of these funds into your Bank account.
 
I wish to inform you that we discovered the said amount of money during our last audit work in the month of April 2009. Myself and two others of my colleagues discovered this money belongs to one MR Kazu Bakayoko, a very rich farmer who died some three years ago the Kenya airlines plane crash here in Abidjan. Mr. Bakayoko was on board with his entire family including his next of kin to his account since then nobody has come for claim these funds.
 
We therefore solicit your assistance to come out as the next of kin to Mr. Bakayoko. As soon as you agree to do so, we will arrange all formalities to transfer the money to your bank account . Note that all the modalities of this transfer are RISK FREE.
 
We want to make the following points clear for you so that you can have a better understanding of why we are contacting you.
 
1-As civil servants, we are not permitted to operate or own a foreign account while in office due to CIVIL SERVICE CODE OF CONDUCT.
 
2-Our present financial resources will not be sufficient to process and procure all documents and formalities from varoius Ministries here, hence the need for a reliable foreign partner abroad is required for financial assistance as the case may be.
 
3-You will be forwarded as the next of kin of the fund.
Your assisting percentage will be as agreed when you finally get back to us.
 
Best regards.
 
Mr.Usman Useni.

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