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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: thomas khumalo <thomaskhumalo7777@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 12:18:22 +0200
Subject: Hello

Dear Sir,

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.
Thomas Khumalo, the first son of Mr. Paul Bright khumalo, 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 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 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 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. Whichever the option you want, feel free to
notify me. I have also mapped out 10% 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 25% of the
money while the remaining 65% will remain for my family and me. Finally
please treat this matter as urgent as possible; I look forward to your
earliest reply through my E-mail address below:
thomaskhumalo2@yahoo.co.za or
you can contact me directly on my telephone number +27 73 359 0626.

Thanks for your mutual co-operation.

Regards,

Mr. Thomas Khumalo

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