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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: Sofia Ahmed <sofia_p002@yahoo.in>
Date: Tue, 20 May 2014 23:05:45 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Hello dear


Hello dear 

 I am writing you this letter in confidence believing that you will not betray the trust & confidence i am putting on you even through we've not meet before. My name is Miss Sofia Ahmed..  from republic of Sierra Leone, My late father was the former Sierra Leone director of mines and energy. He died in political crisis in my country, where my mother died when i was a baby and before my Father died in hospital, He secretly called me before he died and told me that He deposited the sum of $7.5million us dollars in a Finance House, which he used me as the next of kin in case of death or incapacitation. 
 
I want you to stand as my late Father’s foreign business partner in which this fund can be release to you and me. However I have concluded to compensate you with 30% of the total sum for your assistance as long as you will handle the transaction in good faith and utmost trust. Now I have decided to withdraw the deposit fund for any possible investment only abroad hence my contacting you. Please, your quick responds will be highly appreciated as I have concluded arrangements, also you will assist me to come over to your country to further my education again.
 
soon as I hear from you I will send to you every other required information that will enable you to have more knowledge of this exercise, please kindly forward your full contact details to me on your respond to enable me use it write/submit an application letter of claim/nomination to the finance house and introduce you as my foreign partner or representative.
 
(1) Full Name,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
(2) Home Address,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
(3) Country,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
(4) Age And Occupation,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
(5) Phone Number And Fax,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
I look forward for your immediate reply through.
My PRIVATE E-mail    
Thanks and God Bless you.
 
Yours Faithful,
Miss  Sofia Ahmed

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