419 scam: "Family"<akhansi@ymail.com> Hello Dear Friend

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "may come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - 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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- emailphyk@inbox.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Family" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <emailphyk@inbox.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2012 22:20:14 +0200
Subject: Hello Dear Friend

Good Day,

I am 19 years female, an Ivorian national but living presently in hiding place now in a city here the capital city Abidjan . I know this letter may come to you as a surprise but i am writing you with utmost confidence and trust regarding the sum of (US $ 6.5 Million) inherited from my late father, a cocoa merchant and a contractor in the ousted President Laurent Gbagbo's government of the Ivory Coast, who was killed with my mother and two other brothers.

I wish to invest in your country if i can have your assured support and willingness to help me sincerely since you are living in a more peaceful country. I will be giving you twenty percentage of the total money in appreciation for your assistance.

Kindly get back to me if my proposal interests you. My appreciation goes to you as you indicate your willingness to help me so i can give you a detailed explanation about the proposal.

Thanks in anticipation and looking forward to your sincere response. Write me here for more details (emailphyk@inbox.com) This is project is 100% risk free.

Yours beloved,

Ms. Mohammad Khansi

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam