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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: williamskab07@yahoo.ca
Date: Sun, 07 Aug 2005 07:28:29 +0200
Subject: BUSINSS PROPOSAL

Dear Sir / Madam

This letter may come to you as a surprise, but be assured that it is in good faith
from a family in dare need of help. I am Mrs. Doreen williams, the wife of late
mr jonathan williams, a coloured farmer In Zimbabwe; I am contacting you for
assistance due to the recent problems that my family is facing in Zimbabwe.After
the last general elections in my country when the incumbent President Mr. Robert
Mugabe won he adopted a very aggressive land reform programme. During this period of
the Land Reform Act of which many rich White farmers were killed, our farmland was
attacked, houses were demolish, looted and burnt down by militants sponsored by
the dictator President Robert Mugabe and in the process my husband was killed.
Before his death, he had traveled to south africa to deposit the sum of
$23,000,000.00 (Twenty Three Million United States of American Dollars) with a
security/finance company in south africa, as he foresaw the Looming dangers in
Zimbabwe. The amount was meant for the purchase of new machineries and Chemicals
proposed for new farms in Zimbabwe and Namibia . This cash was kept with the
Security Company for fear of seizure by the Government, as President Mugabe had
declared war on white farmers. We flee zimbabwe and curently staying in south
africa as political asylum sekers. i try to open an bank account so that i can
deposite the money but i was denied to do so due to tough south african law on
refugee. It is due to this situation that we have decided to contact you for
assistance to make claims of this fund from the security firm in South Africa
on behalf of my family. As soon as you claim this fund you will transfer it into
your account, deduct your share and secure our share until we come over to your
country. For your assistance you will be entitled to 27% of the total fund,
While 5% will be used for any expenses that we may incur in the course of this
transaction.
Note that you will assist us invest our share of this funds in a profitable
business in your country with your supervision. please if you are in position to
help us contact my son roland on his direct telephone number 27833317365 or
fax448703890213 .

Best regard and God bless.

NB: For more information on the death of my father and the problems in
Zimbabwe see the links below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/772524.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1878846.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/03/18/zimbabwe.farmer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/article/0,2763,181153,00.html
<http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/08/09/zimbabwe.farmers>

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