419 scam: "Gbagbo"<michaelgbagbo@sify.com> URGENTLY.

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Gbagbo" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <michaelgbagbo@ymail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 22:40:33 +0400
Subject: URGENTLY.

Hello ,
Please, however strange or surprising this contact might seem to you as we have not
meet personally or had any dealings in the past, I humbly ask that you take due
consideration of its importance and immense benefit. However, this is not mandatory
nor will I in any manner compel you to honor against your will.

I am MR Michael GBAGBO Brother to the former Ivory Coast
President Laurent GBAGBO the personal assistant to his wife,
MRS SIMONE GBAGBO, because of the political pressure and crisis My family is currently facing a problem from the United Nations now as a result of the November 2010 Presidential Election here in Ivory Coast.
I have decided to honestly confide in you with the instruction given
to me by my brother and the wife after their arrest, to seek for the
co-operation of a neutral and
Reputable person to receive the sum of $20.5 million US Dollars which a
Private Security Company here in United Kingdom were somebody has already helped my family to lodge it for their own security, I am contacting you now based on confidence and trust I have for you to assist me In this timely project and I wait you’re sincere and genuine considerations to this proposal to enable me give you further information regarding this Fund and the arrangement.
Note: Kindly keep this proposal as top secret and Confidential until it is successfully concluded due to our family name to avoid confiscation of the fund from the UN.
You urgent assistant is needed upon your acceptance to carryout this transaction.
Yours sincerely,
Michael GBAGBO

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam