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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: "Tono Tagro" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tanotagro@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2013 15:00:54 -0700
Subject: I am waiting for your reply.

Dear Friend,
 
Please forgive me if this mail comes to you as a surprised, since we have not met each each other before. I have a proposal for you, this however is not mandatory nor will i in any manner compel you to honour against your will.
My name is Tano Tagro, 21 years old, son to late Mr. Desire Tagro the former interior Minister in the former government of President Laurent Gbagbo, Cote D’ivoire (Ivory Coast) The dispute between Ex-President Laurent Gbagbo and the current President Alassane Ouattara after the presidential election in November has cursed lots of damages to so many innocent people in our country.
 
My father was assassinated by the Pro- Alassane Ouattara's Government, when the military forces known as FRC loyal to the current President Alassane Ouattara invaded the Presidential bunker where my father, and the then president Gbagbo where taking refuge. They short at my father and he later died in a hospital.
 
Please click or copy and paste the below web site for my father's picture after he was shot on the jaw, before he finally died in the hospital.
http://afrobeatradio.net/files/2011/04/Ivory-Coast-Torture7.png
Before his death on April 13th 2011 he called the secretary who accompanied him to the hospital and told her that he had a sum of $11.5 Million USD (ELEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) kept in a security company here in Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire.
He also said that the security company does not know the content of the safe Box. He declared it as family valuable properties and used my name to Deposit the money as his first son for next of kin and that I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money to and use it for investment purposes. I want you to assist me in clearing these funds overseas as a beneficiary of the funds, and also use it for an investment purpose because I am inexperience in business world.
I am just 21 years old, and a university undergraduate and i really don't know what to do. Now I want your assistance to help me transfer these funds overseas. This is because I have suffered a lot of setbacks as a result of incessant political crisis here in Cote D'ivoire. The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life. Dearest friend, I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.
Now permit me to ask these few questions:-
1. Can you honestly help me as your son or brother?
2. Can I completely trust you?
3. What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you after the money is in your account?
Please, consider this and get back to me as soon as possible.
Yours Sincerely,
Tano D. Tagro.

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