419 scam: "JOINT VENTURE INVITATION"<susan@btinternet.com> JOINT VENTURE INVITATION

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "my direct telephone number" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- blaizezerrettifamily@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "JOINT VENTURE INVITATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <blaizezerrettifamily@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 16:14:30 +0200
Subject: JOINT VENTURE INVITATION

MRS SUSAN AND SON BLAIZE ZERRETTI
JOINT VENTURE INVITATION
412 TRAMBO LN, FAYESTTSBURG
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA
EMAIL ADDRESS; blaizezerrettifamily@hotmail.com

Dear Sir/madam,

As stated above. My name is Blaize Zerretti, I am 30 years of age, the Son of the Angolan prime minister MR. OSVALDO SERRA VAN-DUNEM ZERRETTI, my mother Mrs Susan Zerretti and I are interested in relocating to your country and venturing all of our funds in excess of USD$ 26,000,000.00 Euro, in your country and if profitable into your line of business.

All funds are being realised from the sale of Diamond (precious stones), you will be compensated with 15% of the gross for all your anticipated assistance by the time the funds are successfully lodged into any safe bank account of your choice in your country. But first we need to know you more, and also we will need to move the funds and of course ourselves out of this place as soon as we can possibly arrange that.

The modalities for the eventual transfer have been carefully worked out by me and my mother; all arrangements are 100% guaranteed, you are to participate as our foreign partner according to our arrangement so far.

If this proposal should be of interest to you kindly signify your interest by replying this letter through my given email address above or preferably' contact me through my direct telephone number for more detailed insight information. Please reply to my family email address below.

Kindest regards.
Blaize Zerretti

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam