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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: "Mrs.Michel Ferry" <mrs.ferrymichel1@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: mrs.ferrymichel@hotmail.fr
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:23:45 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: From Mrs.Ferry




My Dearest,
 
I am contacting you to let you know about my desire to establish a charityfoundation in your country with this sum $6.500.000 (Six Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars),  which I inherited from my late husband (ProfessorGabriel Ferry).

It is my desire to see that this money is invested to any business  organization of your choice in your countryand distributed each year among the charity organizations, motherless baby’s home, churches, Schools, supporting destitutes and aged persons or whatever thing you may have in mind that will be to the benefit of the less privilaged.
 
I took this decision because I am presently hospitalized here in PISAM HOSPITAL here in (Cote D' Ivoire) where I am undergoing treatment for my up coming esophageal cancer surgery and alternative treatment for my cerebrovascular desease (stroke).

As you may wish to know there are no risks involved in this charity donation, Itherefore I look forward to your early reply so that I will give you all the relevant information that will authorise the release and transfer of the said fund across to you as my duly assigned representative.
 
Thanking you in advance for your consideration,
 
Mrs Michel Ferry. 

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