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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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Fraud email example:

From: "patrick khumalo" <patrick_khumalo02@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 09:07:09 +0100
Subject: FROM:PATRICK KHUMALO

FROM:PATRICK KHUMALO
JOHANNESBURG,SOUTH AFRICA.
PRIVATE EMAIL patrick_khumalo02@yahoo.com
TEL+27 83-774-1631

ATTN:DEAR,

My name is Mr. PATRICK KHUMALO , the elder son of Mr.PETER KHUMALO of
Zimbabwe. This might be a surprise to you about where I got your contact
address. I got your address from the South African Chamber of
Commerce/Industry in Johannesburg, South Africa in my earnest search for a
reliable company or individual that can assist me in transferring this
reasonable sum of money abroad.

During the current war against the white farmers in Zimbabwe from the
supporters of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white-owned
farmlands to his party members,war veterans and his followers, he ordered
all white farmers to surrender all farms to his party members,war veterans
and his followers. My father is One of the best farmers in our country and
because he did not support Mugabe’s ideas, Mugabe’s supporters invaded my
fathers farm and burnt everything in the farm, killing my father and made
away with a lot of items in my fathers farm.

Before his death, my father had deposited with one of the Security/Finance
Company in Johannesburg, South Africa the sum of US$10 MILLION (TEN MILLION
UNITED STATES DOLLARS).After the death of my father, we decided to move to
the Republic of South Africa where he had deposited the money in the
Security Company with code as “family valuables only. So I decided to
contact an oversea firm or company that will assist me to move this money
out of South Africa because as asylum seekers we are not allowed to operate
any Bank Account within South Africa.We have agreed to offer you 25% of the
total sum for your assistance, 5% will be mapped out for any expenses that
may be incurred in the course of this transaction while 70% will be for me
and my family to invest in Your country.

All I want you to do is to furnish me with your entire personal phone and
fax numbers for easy Communication. You can contact me on the above
Telephone and FAX numbers. Note that this transaction is 100% Risk free and
absolutely confidential.
Thanks and God bless

Best Regards
PATRICK KHUMALO
FOR THE FAMILY

FOR THE CONFIDENTAILITY OF THIS TRANSACTION CONTANT ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE
EMAIL patrick_khumalo02@yahoo.com


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