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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark Zuma" <markzuma5@fastwebmail.it>
Reply-To: markzuma002@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:34:59 +0200
Subject: =?WINDOWS-1256?Q?INVESTMENT_PROPOSAL=FE=FE?=


From: Office Of The Chairman,
Contract Award Committee
Eskom Pty Ltd, South Africa.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I know that this proposal may come to you as a surprise, especially having
to come from someone you have not met before, but i would like you to
co-operate with me so that this US$15.5 Million will be released and
transferred into your overseas account.

My name is MR, MARK ZUMA, the chairman of contract award co mmittee of
eskom pty ltd South Africa. It is my profound intention to contact you for
this very important and highly confidential transaction for the transfer of
US$15,5M into your overseas account. The US$15,5M was the over estimated
balance from the contract South Africa Awarded to both foreign and local
contractors the real contract value was US$119,500,000.00 Million dollars
but it was over estimated to US$135M (One Hundred And Thirty Fifty Five
Million United States Dollars.)

The contract has been executed by the Contractors and their contract sum of
(US$119,500,000.00M) has been paid to them, leaving our over estimated
balance of (US$15,5M) still pending at the bank
right now, we are left with this over estimated balance of (US$15,5M) which
is still floating at the eskom account in First National Bank(FNB),awaiting
final payment to any reliable foreign bank
account you may provide.

I am therefore asking you to co- operate with me so that the fund will be
released and transferred into your account. If you are interested in this my
proposal, reply me so that we can negotiate your percentage before we
proceed.

However, when the fund is transferred into your account over there, i shall
obtain visa and travel to meet you for my own share of the money and for
investment in this regards Kindly, contact me
through my detail below.
Best regards.
MR MARK ZUMA
email:markzuma002@hotmail.com <email%3Amarkzuma002@hotmail.com>
NB: Please send me your telephone/Mobile numbers
and Fax numbers for easier communication.
It is very confidential, thanks.

Anti-fraud resources: