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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: "The Farmily of Thabo ALI," (may be fake)
Reply-To: <umaali12@yahoo.com, umaali12@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 22 May 2010 06:56:20 -0700
Subject: kINDLY VIEW

>From The Farmily of Thabo ALI,
214 Church Street,
Winchester Hills,2190
Johannesburg.
South Africa.
Phone: +27 73 539 9514

LETTER OF INVESTMENT
ATTN; Sir/Madam,
You may be surprised to receive this letter from me since you do not know me in person, please consider it as a request from a friend. I am Mr.Umaro Hassan Ali, the first son of Late Mr.Isa Thabo ALI, who was recently murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe.I got your contact address through the South African online service and decided to write you. Before the death of my father, he had taken me to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of US$10.3 Million (Ten Million Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in one of the private security companies, as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe. This amount was meant for the purchase of new machines and chemicals for the farms and establishment of a new farm in Swaziland.
This land problem came when Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduced a new Land Act reform, which wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few black farmers; this resulted to the killing and mob action by Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the Society. In fact, a lot of people were killed because of this land reformed Act for which my father was one of the victims. It is against this background that, I and my family who are currently staying in South Africa decided to transfer this money to a foreign country since the law of South Africa decided to this money to a foreign country since the law of South Africa prohibits refugees from opening any bank account or to be involved in any financial transaction.

As the eldest son of my father, I am saddled with the responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign account where this money could be transferred into without the knowledge of my government who are bent on taking everything. All I seek for this is an honest businessman, whom I can entrust my future and that of my family; I must also let you know that this transaction is 100% risk free.If you accept to assist my family and me please contact me with this e-mail address or the above telephone number, this money I intend to use for investment and growth in your country.
I have two options for you, firstly you can choose to have certain percentage of the money for nominating your account for this transaction, or you can go into partnership with me for the proper profitable investment of the money in your country. Which ever the option you want, feel free to notify me. I have also mapped out 5% of this money for all kinds of expenses we might incur in the process of this transaction.
If you do not prefer a partnership I am willing to give you 20% of the money while the remaining 75% will remain for my family and me. Finally please treat this matter as urgent as possible. I look forward to your earliest reply or you can contact me directly on my telephone number +27 73 539 9514.
Thanks for your mutual co-operation.
Regards,
Mr.Umaro ALI.
(For the family)
alternative email;umaali12@yahoo.com

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