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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: "Mabel Manaku" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mabel.manaku@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2017 12:13:24 -0800
Subject: Call for Help

 
 
Greetings from Mabel,
Permit me to go into desire business relationship with you, My Name is Mabel Manaku and My father Mr. George Manaku was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in Abidjan , the economic capital of Ivory coast, my father was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their outings on a business trip.
My mother died when I was a baby and since then my father took me so special. Before the death of my father on November 2015 in a private hospital here in Abidjan he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has the sum of 9,000,000 dollars left in one of the prime bank  in Abidjan and he used my name as his only Daughter for the next of Kin in depositing of the money.
 
He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates. That I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where i will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose such as real estate management or hotel management Sir, I am honorably seeking your assistance in the following ways.
 
1) To assist me to receive the money in the bank where my late father deposited the money.
2) To serve as a guardian of this fund since I am only 17 years old.
3) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education and to secure a resident permit in your country.
Moreover, sir I am willing to give you 25 percent as compensation for your effort/ you indicate your option towards assisting me as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within fourteen (7) days you signify interest to assist me. Anticipating hearing from you soon. I am happy to have somebody like you as a guardian.
Thanks and bless.
Best regards,
Mabel Manaku
 

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